What's the Name of That Book??? discussion
SOLVED: Children's/YA
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Solved! YA Ballet series mid 80's [s]
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Well, there is ballet fiction before the 1990s but not a lot of series and nothing I can think of that fits this description, although I am curious. The Susie series by Lee Wyndham are too young. Her older ballet/dance novels are too dated to fit this description, as are Regina Woody's. There was a three book series by Gladys Malvern that began with Gloria Ballet Dancer but she was from New York and studied there before going on tour.Mabel Esther Allan wrote a two books series I love, The Ballet Family and The Ballet Family Again/The Dancing Garlands (sometimes listed under her Jean Estoril pseudonym) as well as the Drina series but these and all the Lorna Hill ballet books are set in England (or primarily so).
Jahnna Malcolm had a series called the Bad News Ballet, which I did not read.
Alana, that HAS to be it. I'm going to go look it up -- you rock!I can't believe the name doesn't ring a bell at all; I loved this book.
eta: Yeah, I can't believe I didn't remember it was a longer series -- I thought at most I had the first 2, but true enough this Finola girl doesn't come along until book 4. Thanks!
This is so old - but I read these as a kid and had been trying for ages to find them again - Given your description and the names - I really think this is the series you (and I) am looking for:Satin Slippers - #1 To Be A Dancer - Elizabeth Bernard Published 1987:
A Description from Goodreads:
Despite some standard soap-opera treachery, the first book in the Satin Slippers series is an appealing drama about the ballet world. Leah has the chance to join the San Francisco Ballet Academy, but first come nerve-wracking auditions. In the company are Alexandra, the daughter of Russian dancers who have defected; bubbly Kay; deceitful, beautiful Pamela; limber Linda; and Madame Preston.
I'm almost positive it was a series, but if not the first book followed a girl who got accepted to an elite ballet academy (I think in San Francisco). If I remember right, her mom was a single mother, and the girl had taught the kindergarten class for her ballet studio at home to cover her tuition for her own classes. I think her name was Leah.
At the school, there was an exchange student from London, whose name I think was Finola. During the book, they auditioned for and performed Swan Lake. Finola had near perfect fouettes. The girls from the academy lived off campus in a house with a housemother.
Help, because this is making me crazy. I can't seem to find any ballet series from before 1990.