Footnotes: Dancing the World's Best-Loved Ballets

Patricia Morley is professor emerita of English and Canadian Studies at
Concordia University and an avid outdoor recreationist. She is the
author of several books, including The Mountain Is Moving: Japanese
Women’s Lives, Kurlek and Margaret Laurence: T

Footnotes affords a unusual introduction to ballet, and it’s a
delightful one. Augustyn and Tanaka write with an informality,
directness, and sense of humor that is rare in books about ballet, and
refreshing.

The book features seven classical ballets, including such beloved
favorites as The Nutcracker, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan Lake, and Romeo
and Juliet, along with some of the famous dancers who have performed in
them. In a very personal introduction, Augustyn recalls seeing his first
ballet at the age of 11 and being entranced by “this new language.”
Augustyn, a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada,
is the recipient of many awards including the Order of Canada. Tanaka is
an award-winning children’s book author and editor.

The book’s attractive format includes numerous photographs of varying
sizes, many in color. Synopses of the ballets’ plots are set off in
squares. Most important is the friendliness of the narrative voice, one
that suggests the tones of a knowledgeable adult dropping helpful
remarks en route to the theatre, before the curtain goes up, or between
acts. Footnotes is a superb book that should not to be missed. Highly
recommended.