So, You Want to Be a Dancer?: The Ultimate Guide to Exploring the Dance Industry

Gr 5 Up—In this addition to this career-minded series, van der Linde takes readers inside the dance industry with history, advice, interviews, and plenty of encouragement. The author acknowledges that not everyone is destined for a career as a performer and accordingly describes a variety of jobs that also require a background in dance, such as choreographer and costume designer. Interspersed throughout are interviews with professional and aspiring dancers. Although some are more illuminating than others, van der Linde's profiles feature diverse individuals. Starting with the origins of dance, the author chronicles the development of court dance into ballet and then ballet into contemporary dance. In addition to the evolution of the art form in American musical theater, van der Linde covers the emergence of hip-hop and its role in the contemporary dance world. Overall, she emphasizes ballet as the essential foundation for all dance training, making this book ideal for those who are already in preprofessional programs or who are talented enough to pursue enrollment in one. The book emphasizes having a body-positive attitude and includes tips on staying healthy. The text boxes, interviews, and activities make this an easily digestible book, ideal for browsers or those willing to read it cover to cover. Extensive back matter includes resource lists of books, documentaries, and, most importantly, dance companies with youth programs.