Attitude!

A fascinating exploration of how artistic talent emerges and develops in the lives of teenagers. At an age when many kids flounder, what does it actually mean to pursue a passion? In Attitude!, Katharine Davis Fishman follows eight young dancers through a year of study at one of our nation's premier dance schools and reveals how, at The Ailey School, it's about "attitude"-a ballet term that dates back several hundred years, but also refers to that precious mettle we all need a little...
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A fascinating exploration of how artistic talent emerges and develops in the lives of teenagers. At an age when many kids flounder, what does it actually mean to pursue a passion? In Attitude!, Katharine Davis Fishman follows eight young dancers through a year of study at one of our nation's premier dance schools and reveals how, at The Ailey School, it's about "attitude"-a ballet term that dates back several hundred years, but also refers to that precious mettle we all need a little bit of to survive but best not exhibit too much of in order to succeed. Drawing on the literature of adolescence, socialization, and the development of talent, Fishman discovers a very special brand of determination possessed by these dancers. Providing a poignant window into their worlds, she traces the intricate connection between fierce commitment and innate ability. It is during the adolescent years that young people's ideas about their place in the world begin to crystallize. How is the experience different for teenagers who have organized their lives around honing a performing talent? Attitude!is for anyone interested in the world of dance, the psychology of talent, and the nature of adolescence in contemporary America.