All the recent books on the late George Balanchine contain magic. The authors, whether biographers or dancers who have worked for him, have a singular advantage: an indestructible central character. A choreographer of genius, Mr. B. had a marvelous, ample personality. He was riveting to watch, hilarious to listen to. Like a god, he never explained. Instead, he demonstrated, and a dancer had to have the technique as well as the intuition and sensitivity to interpret. His spoken comments were usually odd, elliptical little puns, analogies or fables, often involving animals or food. Thus the Balanchine you got was the Balanchine...
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