ABSTRACT
What does it take to “succeed”—that is, to accomplish something significant in dance? Some of the stories and source materials offered in Chapter 1 suggest that the world of dance is severe, all-consuming, and inhabited by perfectionists. Indeed, as Donald Byrd (see Chapter 3 profile) notes: “Dance is demanding—for the physical part but also how dance deals with ideals. Dance is full of unrealistic demands, but the pressure is still on . .. the worst is the notions of perfection, achieving the ideal that doesn't even exist in the world.”
