Ballet terms made simple

In putting the final touches on my novel, Outside the Limelight, I decided to include a glossary of ballet terms in the back of the book. Which made me pause and consider just how one constructed one’s own glossary of ballet terms. Do you borrow from a dictionary, or a Wiki page, or a long-established … Read more

Buying a violin: 10 things to consider

So. You’re thinking of buying a violin, making this big step. Exciting times, huh? Or are you rushing the decision and not giving it quality thinking time? How about a quick reality check from The Classical Girl before you take the plunge? Buying a violin: 10 things to consider Are you in love with the violin … Read more

Hello, World Ballet Day 2016!

Want the link to the Oct 5, 2017 coverage? Click HERE! Prepare yourself to watch an entire day of nonstop, live-streamed professional ballet, from every corner of the globe, on Tuesday, October 4th! If you are a veteran to this event, you know the drill: it will start late Monday evening for those of us in North America, … Read more

10 ballet novels [for adults] you’ll love

For a long time, “ballet fiction” meant the books that catered to young girls, slim tomes with pink, appealing covers. Noel Streatfeild’s more substantial and highly popular Ballet Shoes comprised my ballet fiction-reading youth. I adored the book. I compensated for its lack of competition by reading it over and over, annually, through my youth … Read more

Learning to fall: in dance and beyond

My friend Anne Clermont’s debut novel, Learning to Fall, is coming out the first week of August. Set in the equestrian world of competitive show jumping, it chronicles one young woman’s search for healing, hope, and what it means to love. About two weeks ago I went to check on Amazon to see if it was available for … Read more