Illusions of Camelot

Written by a former principal dancer for the New York City Ballet, Peter Boal's memoir, Illusions of Camelot, starts in the pastoral and privileged town of Bedford, New York: a rare enclave 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 father's 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 Peter's deeply personal work, you'll step onto the 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 Balanchine's The Nutcracker as Peter performs the title role of the Nutcracker Prince. Peter's journey takes us to the start of a storied career as a dancer and leaves us with insights into the life of an artist shaped by environment, circumstance, and family.