Customer Reviews

The Young Dancer (Young Enthusiast)

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"The young dancer" is really the perfect gift for a young girl - age group 10-15. The English ballerina Darcey Bussell has indeed not forgotten her own beginnings and talks to youngsters in a most sensible manner. Not only technical matters are explained, but also such intricacies to the beginner, as practise dress, hair-dos, shoes, etc. The young dancers posing for the excellent photos make it very easy for youngsters to identify with. On the whole, a very inspiring book.

Darcy Bussell begins The Young Dancer with, "I first started going to ballet classes on Saturday mornings when I was only five years old," and sets the stage (as it were) for her readers, letting them know that she has indeed "been there and done that." (At time of publication, Ms. Bussell was a principal ballerina for London's Royal Ballet.) And while the title may suggest that this is a book on general dance, it clearly and singularly focuses on classical ballet, with only two of its 64 pages dedicated to any other dance form.

Following the formula of Dorling Kindersley's (DK Publishing) phenomenally successful series, The Young Dancer is filled will exceptional photographs, and together with the clear, detailed text, the book successfully introduces readers to everything from achieving perfect position for a pirouette to preparing for a performance (sorry, couldn't help myself), all the while impressing upon its reader the need for practice and more practice. And while no one is going to learn the finer points of ballet from a book, this volume certainly highlights and clarifies not only active actual dancing, but demonstrates interesting peripheral points as well, such as how to darn a pointe shoe, or how to apply stage makeup for a performance. Overall, an attractive and motivating read for any "young dancer."