Arts
Jonathan Porretta is one of the most beloved dancers at Pacific Northwest Ballet. But his journey to principal dancer wasn’t easy: he grew up different: gay, lonely, and teased in a small New Jersey town, following a dream that those around him couldn’t understand. Award-winning arts journalist Marcie Sillman chronicles the dancer’s tale in a new, all-ages coffee-table book called Out There: Jonathan Porretta’s Life in Dance. The book’s message—“Be yourself and people will love you for who you are”—comes through clearly in Sillman’s crisp, engaging prose. Family snapshots and exquisite dance photography by Angela Sterling show key moments in Porretta’s career thus far. Out There is an expanded version of the 2,000-word article Sillman published on KUOW.org in January 2016. In addition to Sillman’s 5,000-word essay, Out There includes a list of Porretta’s lead roles (plus 10 favorites highlighted with personal commentary by Porretta), a selected bibliography of articles about Porretta, and a timeline.