Comments on: How to become a successful ballet dancer http://www.behindballet.com/how-to-become-a-successful-ballet-dancer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-become-a-successful-ballet-dancer The blog of The Australian Ballet Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:37:05 +0000 hourly 1 By: Louisa http://www.behindballet.com/how-to-become-a-successful-ballet-dancer/comment-page-1/#comment-1424 Louisa Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:47:38 +0000 http://www.behindballet.com/?p=1485#comment-1424 HAHAHAHAH! SO NOT BALLET! HAHAHAHAH! SO NOT BALLET!

]]> By: Anna http://www.behindballet.com/how-to-become-a-successful-ballet-dancer/comment-page-1/#comment-151 Anna Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:47:15 +0000 http://www.behindballet.com/?p=1485#comment-151 Mercedes Lackey's books are so NOT ballet books! They are retellings of folk tales on which some ballets were based. Yes I've read all of them. <i>A Dream of Sadler's Wells</i> and its sequels were my favourites growing up - Lorna Hill famously used the letters of her daughter Vicki in writing them (Vicki trained at the Wells), and Vicki as an adult illustrated many of her mother's books using the name Esmé Verity. Oh, and nasty cousin Fiona did actually have a Nice Sister, Caroline, who ends up as a Spanish dancer. Not to mention Smoulderingly Fascinating Cousin, Sebastian... Jean Estoril (Mabel Esther Allan) wrote the original Drina series in the 1950s and 60s, true, but when they were republished in the late 1980s/early 1990s, she added the final book, <i>Drina Ballerina</i>. It shows - videos, Drina being allowed at Grant's flat Alone...but at least it finishes the story. Also there's Constance White's non-series ballet stories, Linda Blake's books about Laura, Jean Ure's books including <i>A Proper Little Nooryeff, Nicola Mimosa, Dance for Two</i>, etc. etc., Jean Richardson's <i>One Foot on the Ground</i> and its sequels, and I could obviously go on, and on, and on... :) Mercedes Lackey’s books are so NOT ballet books! They are retellings of folk tales on which some ballets were based. Yes I’ve read all of them.

A Dream of Sadler’s Wells and its sequels were my favourites growing up – Lorna Hill famously used the letters of her daughter Vicki in writing them (Vicki trained at the Wells), and Vicki as an adult illustrated many of her mother’s books using the name Esmé Verity. Oh, and nasty cousin Fiona did actually have a Nice Sister, Caroline, who ends up as a Spanish dancer. Not to mention Smoulderingly Fascinating Cousin, Sebastian…

Jean Estoril (Mabel Esther Allan) wrote the original Drina series in the 1950s and 60s, true, but when they were republished in the late 1980s/early 1990s, she added the final book, Drina Ballerina. It shows – videos, Drina being allowed at Grant’s flat Alone…but at least it finishes the story.

Also there’s Constance White’s non-series ballet stories, Linda Blake’s books about Laura, Jean Ure’s books including A Proper Little Nooryeff, Nicola Mimosa, Dance for Two, etc. etc., Jean Richardson’s One Foot on the Ground and its sequels, and I could obviously go on, and on, and on… :)

]]> By: Lanii http://www.behindballet.com/how-to-become-a-successful-ballet-dancer/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Lanii Thu, 18 Jun 2009 01:06:47 +0000 http://www.behindballet.com/?p=1485#comment-134 Mmmmmm. So THAT'S where I went wrong. No previous members in the family were famous dancers, reasonably nice cousins, middle class parents that couldn't care less about dance and who just refused to die, how selfish of them! There really was no hope at all for me. :o( Mmmmmm. So THAT’S where I went wrong. No previous members in the family were famous dancers, reasonably nice cousins, middle class parents that couldn’t care less about dance and who just refused to die, how selfish of them! There really was no hope at all for me. :o (

]]> By: Jen Stosser http://www.behindballet.com/how-to-become-a-successful-ballet-dancer/comment-page-1/#comment-131 Jen Stosser Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:27:59 +0000 http://www.behindballet.com/?p=1485#comment-131 I had no idea there was so much ballet fiction out there! On the other hand, I'm curious to know what (if anything) the readers out there think of Mercedes Lackey's ballet books. _Firebird_ is possibly the first one, retelling the story in a logical way that makes way more sense than the latest AB version (what's the apple got to do with the price of fish in China?). One of my favourite Lackey books is The Black Swan, which retells Swan Lake from Odile's point of view. Very nicely written, beautifully told version of the story. Oh, and she's recently come out with Reserved for the Cat which has a Russian ballerina (sort of) as the main character. Has anyone out there read any of these books? Comments? (just a fan) Jen I had no idea there was so much ballet fiction out there!
On the other hand, I’m curious to know what (if anything) the readers out there think of Mercedes Lackey’s ballet books. _Firebird_ is possibly the first one, retelling the story in a logical way that makes way more sense than the latest AB version (what’s the apple got to do with the price of fish in China?).
One of my favourite Lackey books is The Black Swan, which retells Swan Lake from Odile’s point of view. Very nicely written, beautifully told version of the story.
Oh, and she’s recently come out with Reserved for the Cat which has a Russian ballerina (sort of) as the main character.
Has anyone out there read any of these books?
Comments?
(just a fan)
Jen

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