No Way Home: A Cuban Dancer's Story

Carlos Acosta, born in 1973 is a Cuban dancer. He began studying dance when he was 10 at the National Ballet School of Cuba in Havana. Mr. Acosta has been a recipient of various national and international dance awards, including the Spanish Vegnale Dance Prix in Italy, gold medal at the Prix de Lausanne, grand prix in the Third Juvenile Competition of Dance, the grand prix and the gold medal at the Fourth Annual Competition of Ballet in Paris.
Following the tradition of successful and artistic men the world over, Acosta too went on to write an autobiography with the name of No Way Home: A Cuban Dancer's Story. The storyline of the book is immensely inspirational. A rags to riches story of one of the world’s best male dancers. It begins by showcasing his poverty-ridden childhood in the backstreets of his hometown, Cuba. The readers also get to witness his astronomical rise from a humble background to being an international dancing star.

Carlos was the youngest son in a poor family that was named after the planter who owned his great great grandfather at one point of time. This youngest kid in the family was endowed with a free and independent spirit, but the monetary and other constraints always acted as impediments in his flight. Just like all other young kids, he too dreamt of a career in football. But fate obviously had other plans for him. He was the youngest members of a street gang and would bunk school to win street break dance competitions.

To curb the violent streak in his son and to nurture his talent, Carlos’ father got him enrolled in a ballet school. After undergoing years of loneliness, suffering, conflict and even physical crippling effort, Carlos Acosta today is an international star of repute. From being an urchin on the Cuban streets to being an uncrowned prince of this art form, this highly inspiring and endearing story is a must read.