Inspirational/motivational books for young dancers

[Laura_ballet]

I am looking for book titles that inspire and motivate young dancers. It doesn’t have to be dance related but will help curate the right mindset towards achieving hard things, discipline and motivation. My daughter is only 10 so would also have to be age appropriate. 

[glowlight]

'Call me Lion' by Camilla Chester is a brilliant book on so many levels. It is dance related but is really about friendship, motivation and stepping out of your comfort zone. 

 

'No Ballet Shoes in Syria' is also brilliant, combing ballet with the story of a refugee girl finding her feet in a new country. It's very powerful.

 

And for pure ballet fun I'd recommend Jean Ure's Dance Trilogy, which starts with 'Born to Dance'.

 

 

 

 

[alison]

Wow, the "books" tag brings up over 20 threads.  Perhaps some of those will produce some suggestions?  I don't know if Michaela dePrince's Hope in a Ballet Shoe might be an option?  I gather there's a more child-appropriate version.

[Swanwings]

I only know the old classics; Ballet Shoes and Ballet Shoes for Anna (Noel Streatfield) and The 'Wells' series by Lorna Hill. Out of print I think but 2nd hand available.... they worked for me!

[Jan McNulty]

I believe there is (or was) a children's edition of Li Cun Xin's inspirational autobiography "Mao's Last Dancer".

 

I've just looked at Amazon and there is but it only seems available on Kindle:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maos-Last-Dancer-Young-Readers-ebook/dp/B006ONZ2VO/ref=sr_1_2?crid=38AIRZS8NW141&keywords=mao's+last+dancer+book&qid=1693334550&sprefix=mao's+last+dancer+book%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-2

 

There may be other sources. 

[Ondine]

19 minutes ago, Jan McNulty said:

There may be other sources. 

 

That Amazon Kindle link also shows new and secondhand paperback (from 1p) & hardback copies.  Also an MP3 CD.  Some of those are the younger  reader's edition. 

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maos-Last-Dancer-Young-Readers/dp/0141320869/ref=monarch_sidesheet

 

When I was very young I was given for Christmas 'Dancing Star' a novel which tells the story of Anna Pavlova by Gladys Malvern. I loved it. I still have it and I see it's still in print, after all those decades.  I was certainly much younger than the recommended reading age here! 

 

Many second hand copies around too.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dancing-Star-Gladys-Malvern/dp/1504030257

 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2023 by Ondine