Illusions of Camelot

From the artistic director of the Pacific Northwest Ballet and former principal dancer for the New York City Ballet comes an unforgettable memoir about one artists journey from boyhood to ballet.Peters story starts in the pastoral and privileged town of Bedford, New York: a rare enclave 40 miles north of New York City where private schools, country clubs, and families hold their own rules and secrets. Within the town, views of race, morality, and sexuality are unspoken yet evident. Meanwhile, at home, Peter and his family are left to grapple with his fathers alcoholism and untimely death.As a young boy finding his way, Peter soon turns to ballet. Ultimately his passion becomes a beacon, leading him to work at the New York City Ballet as a teenager, living on his own while discovering the pitfalls and pleasures Manhattan has to offer. Throughout Peters deeply personal work, youll meet Hattie Lindsay, Peters caregiver, whose love for Peter matches her disdain for Henry, the family dog. Youll step onto the club house floor during ballroom dancing lessons in Bedford, into the studios of the School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, and onto the stage in George Balanchines The Nutcracker as Peter performs the title role of the Nutcracker Prince.For all the laughter these stories offer, gravity is everywhere. Moments by Balanchines hospital bedside, or in the AIDS-ravaged ward at Columbia-Presbyterian hospital as a loved ones life passes away are told with painful honesty and raw hurt. Peters journey takes us to the start of a storied career as a dancer with the New York City Ballet and leaves us with insights into the unique path of an artist and individual shaped by environment, circumstance, and family.