Drina's Dancing Year

(26 January 2012, Stratford)

Sequel to “Ballet for Drina”, which I reviewed on my old LiveJournal blog. We find our heroine installed in London, cheerfully still in contact with her solid friend, Jenny, who has given up ballet dancing and aims to become a farmer, and thinking about auditions for the Dominick Ballet School, where her mother studied and danced. Of course she does get into a ballet school, then it’s trials, tribulations and hard work all the way. But I like the down-to-earth quality of these books – having sensible friends and sticking up for one another is encouraged, and success never comes without hard work, plus it’s not always A Good Thing to have what is known as “a temperament”. Very beguiling reading on a poorly day! ( )

Drina is accepted at the Dominick School to study ballet full time! There, she must deal with mean students and the fact that she hasn't danced in 6 months and is behind everyone else. But she finds a new friend in Rose (despite the fact Mrs. Chester is a snob and regrets that Rose is rather poor.) Drina's heartbroken when she isn't chosen to dance in the Christmas matinee, but Igor Dominick himself chooses her to act in a West End play!

A favorite of mine from childhood that holds up upon rereading. See all my reviews at www.tushuguan.blogspot.com ( )