Welcome to Ballet School

Welcome to your first day at ballet school! Put on your ballet shoes and let’s master your basics with author and New York City Ballet principal Ashley Bouder. Learn five basic lessons, then visit the costume room, before putting on your very own show of Sleeping Beauty at the end.

There's no admissions policy to our Ballet School. Whether you are already learning ballet, or thinking about starting, this class is for you. Learn your pliés, first positions, jetés, pirouettes, and grand battements.

But what happens if you fall? How do you stretch and look after your body? How do you get ready for class? No worries—it's all answered in this book from professional ballerina Ashley Bouder.

Then go on to learn the characters and interpretations of Sleeping Beauty—taught in an inclusive way so anyone can dance the parts they want to. A helpful glossary at the back provides a review of ballet terms.

Tutus are optional.

About the Author

Ashley Bouder is a dancer and choreographer based in New York. She is principal dancer for the New York City Ballet and runs her own arts organisation: The Ashley Bouder Project. The project is an arts collaborative dedicated to furthering the inclusion of women and marginalized people in leadership roles in the performing arts world. This is her first book for children.

About the Illustrator

Julia Bereciartu (a.k.a. Juliabe) is a Spanish illustrator, born in 1980 in the northern city of San Sebastian. From an early age, she spent most of her time drawing, even if that meant using markers on her parents' new couch. She also loved reading books and dreamed of painting the illustrations that accompanied them when she grew up. She now lives in Madrid with her partner and their ginger cat, and has fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming an illustrator. Julia works for clients such as American Girl, Google, Cartoon Network, and Simon & Schuster, and loves giving life to quirky, sassy characters and the occasional fluffy pet.