![]() ![]() Double-page spreads depict the young girl maturing from loneliness to uncertainty to accomplishment as the ballerina practices at the barre and provides a one-on-one display of bravura technique. His vibrant reds, golds and blues, set into the sharp-edged patterns of the backgrounds, evoke the intense drama of the Firebird ballet and pulsate with kinetic synergy. Myers’ artwork, a combination of textured paintings and collage, is the true standout. Likewise, the young girl can “become a swan, a beauty, a firebird for sure.” The text is untrammeled by capital letters or periods, and the language soars into dizzying heights of lyrical fancy that barely contain her message of inspiration. Copeland assures her that she too was “a dreaming shooting star of a girl” who worked very hard in class. In this, her first book for children, she establishes a dialogue with an imaginary young girl, also black, who is full of doubts. A dancer offers encouragement to those who dream of following her onto the stage.Ĭopeland, a soloist with American Ballet Theater, is a rara avis, an African-American ballerina. ![]()
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