Research Paper on:
Gelsey Kirkland, Ballet Dance Artist

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
artist must put be able to reveal a piece of his or her soul to the audience, which makes the art memorable to witness and the interpretation of the dance  truly distinctive. There is a fine line between dancer and artist, and the few who have made the transition have left an indelible impression on all those who have  been fortunate enough to see them perform. Gelsey Kirkland is one of those rare individuals - a true phenomenon who has the unique ability to use dance as a  window to her soul. Her artistry reflects an inner light that illuminates her characterizations, which truly makes them her own. Hers is the formidable gauge upon which all  future ballerinas who portray the same characters are inevitably measured. The ballerina with the unusual name (after a family friend) was born in Bethlehem Pennsylvania on December  29, 1952, the daughter of Jack and Nancy Kirkland, a playwright and one-time actress (Artistic Expression in Ballet: A Look at Gelsey Kirkland). Kirklands early years were spent on  a farm in Bucks County before the family relocated to New York City. Always an introvert, Kirkland was introduced to the seductive powers of the imagination at an early  age. In her candid autobiography, Dancing on My Grave, she recalled, "In crossing the border between the real and imaginary, I discovered a secret place where some measure of  tenderness might prevail. I was fiercely protective of my private world" (2). The most important influences upon Kirklands early childhood were her parents, upon whose love she would  often rely to bolster her fragile security. As artists themselves, the Kirklands understood "the active sense of wonder" (Kirkland and Lawrence 2) that was necessary, and they encouraged their