Showing results by author "Amy Shomshak" in All Categories

Grand Jeté, Arabesque and Pirouette in one volume!

In grief over her mother's death, twelve-year-old Gina vows never to dance ballet again. Gina leaves her childhood home to live with the only family left to care for her, Uncle Gene. Months before the breakup of Russia, he accepts a job at the American Consulate in Leningrad, home of the famous Kirov Ballet Academy. As tensions rise in the city and Russia nearly breaks apart, Gina desperately tries to overcome stage fright.

After six months of performing classical ballet in Paris, Gina finds herself sitting for Laurent in his studio. His quick sketches reveal a young dancer grieving her past. The two walk through Paris to a museum famous for its Impressionism collection. As she studies the paintings with Laurent, Gina reveals experiences which have shaped her present, leading her to what is next in her young life.

Eleven-year-old Gina loves ballet and her eccentric mother, Lily, a professional dancer. In the whirlwind of rehearsals, recitals, and new pointe shoes, Gina navigates the challenges of Catholic school, an absent father, and a changing neighborhood. As Gina prepares for her first performance in The Nutcracker, family secrets emerge, forcing her to confront difficult truths and embrace her own strength.

After her adventures in “Grand Jeté,” Gina continues working to become a ballerina at the School of American Ballet in New York City. Feeling inadequate and untalented, she longs for acceptance at the academy. In spite of new boyfriend Charlie, she misses her best friend, Tina, with whom she studied ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia.