Something Spectacular: The True Story of One Rockette's Battle with Bulimia

Something Spectacular is Gleissner's raw, personal chronicle of the devastating effects bulimia exacts upon her personal and professional life during her time as a Rockette. As her disorder takes over, she begins to lead a dual life: a talented, accomplished, and happy-go-lucky dancer on the outside; a food addict tortured by obsessive, self-destructive voices on the inside. Immersed in an environment in which even talent is secondary to appearance, Gleissner hides her disorder by any means necessary--lying, cheating, and stealing with no regard for the consequences to herself or her loved ones--until she hits rock bottom and is forced to face the truths behind her disease. Her intensive odyssey of self-discovery ultimately gives her the strength to reshape her self-image, embrace her sexuality, and break free of the malignant hold bulimia has on her life.

The first book to give a voice to the pervasive but often unaddressed problem of eating disorders in the dance industry, Something Spectacular is a gripping expos of the insidious nature of eating-related diseases--and a profound account of one woman's journey toward self-acceptance and recovery.