Beginning with his Cuban childhood in Miami, this autobiography of famed dancer Fernando Bujones covers his life from his years as a gifted student at the School of American Ballet to his 13-year career as principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre (ABT). Among these recollections are his incredible rise as the youngest principal dancer with ABT, how he became the first American dancer to win the gold medal at the Varna International Ballet Competition, and his time spent in the tumultuous years following Mikhail Baryshnikov's takeover of ABT. Bujones took an abrupt departure from his beloved company and subsequently found superstar status with his international career. He continued to touch the lives of those around him—as well as those who watched his performances—until his unexpected death in 2005. “The overriding quality that leaps out from this book is the total honesty of Fernando Bujones. He pulls no punches even though he avoids sensationalism and gossip . . . His story is like a movie script on the theme of the American Dream.”  —Mike Dixon, Dance Europe “The greatest American male dancer of his generation.”  —Anna Kisselgoff, The New York Times “Fernando Bujones . . . American-trained premier danseur whose exuberance and technical excellence in roles ranging from classical to contemporary have stimulated audiences around the world to deeper insight into the beauty and joy of dance.”  —Lucia Chase, founding artistic director, American Ballet Theatre Fernando Bujones made his professional dancing debut in 1970 with the Andre Eglevsky Ballet Company and joined the American Ballet Theatre two years later. There, at the age of 19, he became the youngest principal dancer in ABT history. His dancing career would last for decades, taking him around the world and partnering him with the top ballerinas of the 20th century. Zeida Cecilia-Mendez was Fernando Bujones’s coach from the beginning, while starting a second career in the visual arts. She is a former script supervisor, writer-producer-director of documentaries and commercials, and a promotions and marketing director for the Miami affiliate of Univision Network. She lives in Doral, Florida.