Ballet School: What it takes to make a dancer

The film Billy Elliot (a Northern lad gets to ballet school) is just the boost this Puffin edition of Ballet School needs, Jessel takes us through a year at the Royal Ballet School in sufficient detail to help promising young dancers from about 8 years upwards and their parents make a realistic decision about the future. But anyone interested in ballet would find the book most illuminating; it is elegantly written and beautifully produced. I found the clear glossary most helpful. The access the author was given has made possible copious illustration in the form of superb photographs. Snippets of conversation reveal something of the realities of the school's tough programme. The degree of dedication needed means a young dancer must at the outset be helped to decide if their body is flexible enough and a suitable shape for training as a classical dancer. Then selectors look for musicality and the ability to express feelings through dancing. If a pupil is finally accepted for the Lower School after a demanding series of auditions, excellent teachers provide support through the daily classes which build strength and skill; their advice is quoted throughout the book. For example, when explaining jumps one teacher recommends that one 'think of the floor as a friend who is going to almost push you into the air - a good strong pli$e is like a long fuse for a rocket - the deeper you bend the higher you jump'. Even after a gruelling programme and relentless practice, there is no guarantee that a young dancer will reach the highest levels of performance and enjoy ultimate recognition and fame. The book combines honesty about the demands of the programme (and the limited chances of being accepted by the Royal Ballet Company) with insight about the beauty of ballet and the delight it bring alive the pupils' summer performances of specially created new ballets. A young person caught by the magic of the dance will enjoy owning this book.