Customer Reviews

Ballet School (Viking Kestrel picture books)

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I bought this book from Amazon, and returned it. I own the author's earlier book, Life at the Royal Ballet School, and this new book on the same subject unfortunately lacks magic and charm. The text emphasizes the arduous aspects of the training, the difficulty and self sacrifice of the students. The rewards of pursuing a great art are somehow given short shrift. And inexplicably, the studio photos are uniformly grainy and indistinct. The ballet students manage to seem awkward and unattractive. I wish this book had conveyed the romance and beauty of ballet, as did the author's previous book on the Royal Ballet school. An update is needed, but this book is, alas, not an improvement.

This book is very well suited for the aspiring young ballet student. Although it shows the prestious English Royal Ballet School, it shows the standard which all ballet students should reach. The young students auditioning for entrance are already well trained, and their physique is evident in the beautiful photos. The photos are more prolific than the writing, which is what is important in ballet - the look, the style, the training. All parents of children who aspire to a ballet career should view this book to see what is expected in London, and therefore, the standard set for ballet students all over the world.