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Every Step You Take
by
Jock Soto
In June 2005 Jock Soto, at forty years old, gave his farewell performance as a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet. The program, an event of unprecedented ambition, showcased pieces from five legendary choreographers, and it capped one of the most storied careers in ballet history—an ascent that began when Soto was just three years old. After retiring, Soto was...more
ebook, 288 pages
Published
October 4th 2011
by Harper
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Every Step You Take: A Memoir is a look back for Jock Soto at his family and his career, sorting through the influences that made him a unique figure in the ballet world. The writing took great courage, as some of his family history must have been hard to face — some unpleasant truths about his father, in particular, and his mother’s family. He has an amazing life story, a story that I don’t think could even happen today, and his telling of it is quite humble.
Jock got interested in ballet at the...more
Jock got interested in ballet at the...more
Reading dancer Jock Soto's memoir is a bit like skipping dinner for a supper of circulating tiny hors d'oeuvres at a swank cocktail party—there are plenty of tasty morsels, though nothing really fills you up.
The book is initially narrated as if it's a memoir about a mixed-heritage gay man's relationship with his mother . . . but it's not, really, though it's obvious her passing affected him deeply. It should perhaps have been a comprehensive look at Soto's career as principal dancer within the N...more
The book is initially narrated as if it's a memoir about a mixed-heritage gay man's relationship with his mother . . . but it's not, really, though it's obvious her passing affected him deeply. It should perhaps have been a comprehensive look at Soto's career as principal dancer within the N...more
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The problem with most of the ballet books written by dancers is that... They are dancers, not writers (even when they get help with the writing). That being said if you start reading knowing this, your expectations will be about information and maybe reflexion, not about style.
Soto has a very interesting and different story to tell. His ethnicity plays a big role in the story and it's interesting. Also, you an read this book even if you don't know about ballet, Balanchine or the New York City Ba...more
Soto has a very interesting and different story to tell. His ethnicity plays a big role in the story and it's interesting. Also, you an read this book even if you don't know about ballet, Balanchine or the New York City Ba...more
3.5 stars
He's got a very interesting history, and I liked the glimpse into the life of this gay ballet dancer of Navajo/Puerto Rican heritage.
He actually lived in the Phoenix area around the same time I did, and he lived a similarly middle-class life at the time. There the similarities between our paths ends.
Even more than his talent (which I hear about indirectly in the book, but I don't really see, since it is hard to get the true nature of dance through the written word), I am awed by his d...more
He's got a very interesting history, and I liked the glimpse into the life of this gay ballet dancer of Navajo/Puerto Rican heritage.
He actually lived in the Phoenix area around the same time I did, and he lived a similarly middle-class life at the time. There the similarities between our paths ends.
Even more than his talent (which I hear about indirectly in the book, but I don't really see, since it is hard to get the true nature of dance through the written word), I am awed by his d...more
4.5 stars, actually, the extra 1/2 for being a very quick read. Most memoirs I have to slog through but this was fun and sweet and Soto is so humble for all of the many gifts he was given. I would recommend this book to dancers and dance aficionados, for sure, all of whom would love a glimpse into the world of City Ballet.
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