Dancer.

Daniel's father is an avid reader with impeccable taste and recommended that I read Dancer: A Novel by Colum McCann. He gave it a top rating and insisted I take it to India. He could not have been more right. I just could not put it down. I read it in two sittings. This book somehow changed my life. It left a mark on my soul. It's the gorgeously compelling and inspiring story of Russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev from his humble beginnings as a child to his global success, through the eyes of Rudi and the people around him. It spans from the tragedy of the Second World War to the gay underground scene of NYC in the 80s. I don't want to give too much away...It is a story of passion, courage and an unbreakable spirit. When I finished the book I literally wept. I was on the plane and started crying. I have read a lot of good books but most of them don't make me burst into tears at the end. His life and story just touched me so deeply. This biographical novel has really inspired me to live more like Rudi, to find that dedication and drive in myself to be me without apology without regret.  It was just such a joy to read and I know it is a story I will carry in my heart for the rest of my days.

 

I will leave you with some quotes from Rudi:

"For me, purity of movement wasn't enough. I needed expression, more intensity, more mind."

 

"The main thing is dancing, and before it withers away from my body, I will keep dancing till the last moment, the last drop."

"Technique is what you fall back on when you run out of inspiration."