The Irish Ballerina

I read this book over Christmas. It is about an Irish girl who went to Perm at 13 to study in the ballet school there (Ireland have strong links with the Perm State Ballet)

I always new being a ballet dancer was a tough career but I think a lot of people think it is as easy as the dancers make it look. Reading this book was a real eye opener and it made me think how easy it is to sit in an audience and criticise what we think dancers do wrong when really unless you have been through it, you have really no idea.

If anyone is interested in ballet I would recommend reading this book. It is a very easy read, I got through it in an afternoon, but as I said it is a bit of an eye opener

I want to read it. I've read horror stories about how tough the ballet world is--severe dieting, injuries, inner politics, etc.

It's weird, some of the stuff in it makes you think that if her parents knew what was gong on there is no way they would have let her stay there. On the other hand she shows herself to be a tough cookie and well able to stand up for herself, earning great respect and a place as the first Westerner to become a member of the Perm State Ballet Company.

What is the title of the book?