B IS FOR BALLET

An introduction to the art for those in the know and those who are new.

In swirls of lilacs and blues, the 26 letters of the alphabet introduce readers to the enchanting world of American Ballet Theater as seen onstage, backstage, in rehearsal studios, and at school. Starting with A for “arabesque,” with the legendary Lucia Chase as the dancer, the letters move on through Natalia Makarova performing a “glissade” from Giselle and Misty Copeland in a very dramatic pose from the “modern masterwork” Firebird to Anthony Tudor and Twyla Tharp rehearsing their original choreography. Not all is graceful movement, however, as one dancer is seen soaking her feet in an “ice bath.” Children from ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School demonstrate the five basic positions of ballet while in other scenes, dancers stretch, warm-up, waltz, and perform their “révérence.” Most figures named in the captions are White, but African American dancers Copeland and Calvin Royal III, Argentine dancer Herman Cornejo, and Korean ballerina Hee Seo are also featured (all such are identified in the backmatter); the supporting cast is multiracial. Children in ballet school or attending a performance for the first time will enjoy the close-up views and the nice mix of former and current dancers. The couplets and quatrains read smoothly, and the illustrations are vibrant and lively, though characters’ faces are stylized and rather stiff. (This book was reviewed digitally with 12-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 31.4% of actual size.)

Those in love with ballet will find much to enjoy.