First American Born Prima Bailarina of Flamenco, Clarissa Talve, Releases a Dancer's Memoirs in 'Dancers Never Die'

Clarissa Talve, the first American born prima bailarina of the Flamenco, announces the release of her memoirs in her book "Dancers Never Die" (ISBN 9781491280768; Dance Arts Press) on Amazon.com. In her memoir she vividly recalls a momentous career as a dancer and her battles with polio and TB, as well as giving a loving tribute to the artistry and talent that was the "Golden Age of Flamenco."

"I decided to write about my dance career, because I wanted there to be a book about dance, written by a dancer, for dancers," Talve says. "Too many dance books are written by critics and biographers, who are just outsiders looking in. I wanted to write it from a dancer's perspective; someone who knows what it is 'to live to dance.'"

As in the Michael Powell film "The Red Shoes," when the ballerina Moira Shearer is asked, "Why do you want to dance?" she answers, "Why do you want to live?" and so Ms. Talve takes you into her world of "the dance."

Clarissa Talve was a vibrant and exceptional artist during the 1960's. When only 14 years of age, Jose Greco - after seeing her perform - picked her out of a dance troupe as the only one with talent and "duende."

It was her own Sephardic roots that bonded her soul to the fire and brilliance of the Flamenco and Mozarabic dance, two interpretive dance styles whose essences are dramatically captured in the pages of her book by the extraordinary photography of Ken Duncan and Justin Kerr.

In "Dancers Never Die," she takes you on the journey of a life story interwoven with career triumphs, personal struggle and discovery, that are laced with a myriad of vignette encounters with other legendary greats of the day such as Billy Holiday, Martha Graham and Ana Sokolow.

Ms. Talve has also poignantly illuminated her book with her own poetry and drawings, unveiling her inner depth of feeling for "the dance," as she teaches you what the Spanish gypsies taught her, the elusive meaning of what it is to have "duende."

Ms. Talve hopes this book will speak to the artistic spirit that dwells in us all.

"Her recollections in "Dancers Never Die," are expansive and reflective in the specialized world of the Spanish Flamenco dancer; this book breathes with life," says Kareena Maxwell, of Examiner.com.

About the Author:
Clarissa Talve currently resides in New York City and continues work in contributing to the history of dance, but the energies of her heart and mind are now focused on her second great passion - that of drawing and painting, to which she is focused and as lovingly dedicated to, as she was to "The Dance."

More information: http://www.danceartspress.com/ .

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