Holding on to the Air

Suzanne Farrell, world-renowned ballerina, was one of George Balanchine's most celebrated muses and remains a legendary figure in the ballet world. This memoir, first published in 1990 and reissued with a new preface by the author, recounts Farrell's transformation from a young girl in Ohio dreaming of greatness to the realization of that dream on stages all over the world. One third of her repertory of more than 100 ballets were composed expressly for her by such notable choreographers as Balanchine, Jermome Robbins and Maurice Bejart. In her memoir, Farrell recalls career, professional and personal attachments, and their attendant controversies with a frankness and common sense.