Catherine Tully of 4dancers.org shares six dance gifts that have made her holiday list this year. Socks, scents, and a fantastically cool photography book. Are these on your list, too?
Dance Library
Classic Storybook A Perfect Prelude To The Nutcracker Ballet
Maurice Sendak illustrates this stunning hardcover version of the classic tale by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Hoffmann’s story and Sendak’s drawings are a perfect prelude to the beloved Christmas ballet.
Documenting Dance History: Two DVD Musts For Your Collection
A brief look at two documentary films that will inspire and educate your dance students. Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance and Never Stand Still: Dancing at Jacob’s Pillow are engaging, informative, essential for any dance program library, and readily available to anyone who is a fan of dance.
Add “the Cranes Dance” To Your Summer Reading List
Gwen and Kate are sisters in the same ballet company. Gwen has left New York to be with her family in Michigan and a palpable, angry silence has developed between she and her sister, Kate. “the Crane Dance” an upcoming novel by Meg Howrey follows their personal and professional struggles with “flair, wit and honesty,” says our guest reviewer. Put this one on your summer reading list!
From Ballet to the Barnyard: Picture Books in 2011
Looking through the list of dance-related picture books that were released in the United States in 2011, three unique categories of books stand out. Picture Books & Pirouettes blogger, Kerry Aradhya looks at little ballerina characters who could give Angelina a run for her money, Spanish and Latin American dance, and books that explore the joy of movement.
Grace Makes Beauty Out Of Ugly Things
Four years ago, a young dancer, Melinda Marchiano was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. She’s transformed her confrontation with cancer into something beautiful, documenting her path through diagnosis, treatment, and recovery in a memoir, Grace: A Child’s Intimate Journey Through Cancer and Recovery, which she published in October, 2010. Melinda talks with DA about cancer, her book, and her future plans.
