Another Way to Dance

by Martha Southgate

Book Overview

Fourteen-year-old Vicki Harris's dream has come true. She has been accepted into the summer program at New York City's prestigious School of American Ballet. It will be hard work and highly... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 044021968X
• ISBN13: 9780440219682
• Release Date: January 1998
• Publisher: Laurel Leaf Library
• Length: 179 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 4.2" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Another Way to Dance in the Spotlight

In this Compelling story of African American influence you become captured in the misunderstandings and mishaps of Viki's summer. As she struggles to realize why her parents recenlty split up, why she doesn't just fit in with the rest of the ballet students, and why her plain to see talent is overlooked by so many Viki rides an enourmous emotional rollercoaster, jerking her in every which way. When she meets Michael, he helps her step off the coaster and put her feet on the ground as he opens her eyes to things she had never taken the time to see. Once you pick up this book you wont be able to put it down I guarantee. Viki finds many other ways to dance in the spotlight without ballet.

I finished this book in one day!

This book was beautiful. I really like to dance and there was something about Vicki I could relate to. I know how sometimes its like being isolated when youre the only African-American or the only other African American in your ballet group. I liked the romance in the book, I was kind of suprised at how Micheal and Vicki had an intense relationship where they could just talk like regular teens. I would definately recommend this book. For it to be Martha Southgate's debut novel, it was written like she had been writing novels for years.

Awesome!

This book was really good. It was really interesting. I liked how it showed about the tough times at SAB and the troubles blacks go through. i never realized it untill now. i recomend this book for anyone!

Vikki faces racism at the School of American Ballet.

Vikki Harris thinks that the summer program at the School of American Ballet will be easy. However, she is not prepared to be one of two African-American girls there. She suffers terrible racism, and she has never in her life been worked so hard. Meanwhile, her life is crumbling around her. She is crushed by her parents divorce, and her fantasies about the Russian dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov turn out to be just fantasies after all. Her only real happiness is a new little romance with a boy from Harlem who works in a Wendy's. This book is well written and touching. It's about dancing, growing up, and dealing with prejudice and everyday problems. I recommend it to anyone who has ever experienced prejudice, thought about dancing, or who just wants to read a book that is absorbing and enjoyable.

A standing ovation and several curtin calls wrapped into one

I loved this book from the moment I started reading from page 1. I could not put it down!! I related with Vicki so much having been through some of the same situations myself. This book really captures the African American experience in a predominately white dance school. I was so glad that Vicki could hold her head up high in the end. I felt myself cheering for her and wanting her to find the true meaning of dance. All African American young dancers should read this book. I highly recommend this book. Martha Southgate truly touched me with this one. I cannot wait to read what comes next!