Don’t Think, Dear

'This addictive memoir is a vital account of the intoxicating appeal of ballet as an art form. Alice Robb tells the story of ballet in the twentieth century through her experience at the School of American Ballet and the cult-like legacy of its founding choreographer, George Balanchine, who dictated the lives of his dancers - shaping their bodies, selecting their perfumes, haunting their dreams - inspiring obsession and regret. We are left with the question: can the pursuit of ballet perfection justify the suffering depicted in this book?' -- Rebecca May Johnson, author of Small Fires 'A rigorous yet loving examination of a childhood passion told through a feminist lens. Don't Think, Dear is full of clarity, even about questions that will never get completely clear answers.' -- Rebecca Traister, author of Good and Mad 'I don't think I've ever felt so seen by an author: Alice Robb says aloud the conundrums I've been wrestling with since adolescence but wasn't able to put into words. Her storytelling prowess and sharp analysis help contextualize my own experience in the ballet in a way I didn't realize I needed. I wouldn't trust anyone but Alice Robb in handling a subject so close to my heart.' -- Sophie Flack, author of Bunheads 'Weaving together Robb's own story with her fellow students and ballet icons such as Misty Copeland and Margot Fonteyn, it's an overdue contemporary re-examination of this gruelling artform.' -- The Independent, 'Books to Look Forward to in 2023' 'Don't Think, Dear is an extraordinary book full of poignant storytelling and profound insights. Robb masterfully weaves memoir, reportage, and criticism into a superbly crafted meditation on ballet and its broader cultural impact.' -- Marisa Meltzer, author of Glossy and This is Big 'With intelligence and grace, Alice Robb offers a history of American ballet through the lens of her own nuanced, intimate relationship with a legendary New York City institution. Neither romanticising or decrying the dance world, Robb beautifully explores the push-pull of masochism and perfectionism - preoccupations not just relevant to aspiring dancers, but to anyone who's ever pursued an almost-impossible dream.' -- Ada Calhoun, author of Why We Can't Sleep '[Robb's] timely book is a critical yet personal examination of classical ballet - a performing art highly dependent on the talent of women - filtered through the lens of 21st-century feminism... she brings a welcome academic rigour to a subject clearly born of deeply held emotions.' -- The Times 'Here is a memoir, a love letter, a cultural history, and a long-awaited reckoning of the most iconic feminine ideal. Robb's intimate and frank examination of ballet's legacy-both in and outside of studios and performance halls-shows us all the many ways it continues to shape our lives and bodies. Chapter to chapter, this book is both brutal and beautiful, like its subject.' -- Sarah Gerard, author of Sunshine State and True Love 'Part memoir, part journalistic investigation, the book weaves [Robb's] early experiences as a dancer with those of her contemporaries, and of famous ballerinas... Don't Think Dear is powered by a fundamental love of the art form while exposing the toxic culture that runs through it.' -- Guardian