A Child's Introduction to Ballet: The Stories, Music, and Magic of Classical Dance (A Child's Introduction Series) - Hardcover

Lee, Laura

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1579126995 ISBN 13: 9781579126995

Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal, 2007

Synopsis

Ballet dancers of all ages love the mesmerizing stories of the world's great ballets, and in this charmingly illustrated book plus music CD, younger readers will enjoy fun facts, dancing how-tos, some history behind the dances and compositions, plus profiles of famous ballerinas and dancers while listening to excerpts of classical music.

From Swan Lake and The Nutcracker to Peter and the Wolf and Fancy Free, the twenty-five of the world's best-loved ballets are shared, accompanied by corresponding tracks on an enclosed CD. These stories bring ballet to life, inspiring readers to dance along to the music that has made them enduring classics.

Woven into these tales is a captivating, illustrated history of ballet, filled with information and profiles of the world's great dancers, choreographers, and composers. There are even instructions on ballet positions and the key moves that every dancer needs to know.

The musical selections included on the CD are keyed to specific points in the text, making the book uniquely interactive, educational, and fun.

About this title

From the Inside Flap:

Welcome to the magical world of ballet! In this book you'll experience dance in a whole new way--by listening and learning at the same time. You'll read about the history of ballet and its most famous dancers, composers, and choreographers. You'll find out a little bit about the different ballet steps and positions (and get a chance to try them yourself). And best of all, you'll read the wonderful stories of the world's greatest ballets, and, as the stories unfold, you can listen to pieces of music from some of them. Soon, you will be a ballet expert!
From The Nutcracker and Swan Lake to Rodeo, Fancy Free, and Peter and the Wolf, all of the world's most popular and beloved ballets are included here, illustrated with beautiful watercolors that you will want to return to again and again. Enjoy the stories (and the stories behind):
La Sylphide
Giselle
Coppelia
Don Quioxote
Swan Lake
Sleeping Beauty
The Nutcracker
Dying Swan
Firebird
Petrouchka
The Rite of Spring
Peter and the Wolf
Romeo and Juliet
Rodeo
Fancy Free
Circus Polka
Cinderella
Daphnis and Choloe
and more!

From the Back Cover:

Listen while you learn about the world's greatest ballets, dancers, choreographers, and composers!

Why do ballet dancers stand like ducks? (Page 13)
How high can the greatest ballet dancers leap? (Page 27)
What famous ballet company was originally made up of orphans? (Page 32)
Which very popular ballet was a complete FLOP when it was first performed? (Page 37)
Name three ballets featuring toys that come to life. (Page 55)
Which ballet music sounds as if it was written for stomping giants rather than pretty ballerinas? (Page 58)
Which famous ballet dancer did a duet with Miss Piggy on The Muppet Show? (Page 81)

Enjoy stories of the world's great ballets, listen to the music that brings them to life—and find out lots of fun facts along the way—in this entertaining and colorful book for young dancers and dance-lovers at every level.

About this edition

• Publisher: Black Dog & Leventhal
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 1579126995
• ISBN 13: 9781579126995
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 96
• Illustrator: Hamilton Meredith