Customer Reviews

Ballet Stars of the Romantic Era Paper Dolls (Dover Paper Dolls)

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I can't imagine a more painless way of learning about 19th century ballet than Tom Tierney's Ballet Stars of the Romantic Era. True to history, the four ballerinas have the matching costumes they wore for their famous Pas de Quatre -- when all four shared a single stage. Careful details include Marie Taglioni's trademark pearl necklace: she thought her neck was too long, and always wore a pearl choker to disguise it. The four ballerinas share a partner, dancer/choreographer Jules Perrot, so there are five dolls in all. My dancer daughter has had these paper dolls for years, and still treasures them.

This is one of Tom Tierney's prettiest and most feminine books. The plates are worthy of being framed, and I'm sure that most aspiring ballet dancers would love to have them on the wall in their rooms.
Until I bought this book, I'd only heard of Lola Montez, but more for her exploits than her dancing. Reading the notes accompanying the dolls was a fascinating introduction to the ballet world of the nineteenth century.