While Ella Bella takes a rest from activity (I start the next book in the summer), I have been looking in bookshops for more inspiration and reference material. I found this very unusual book, very cheaply, “The New Ballet”. It’s about the work of a choreographer, Kurt Jooss, and is filled with dazzling drawings by Richard Ziegler, mostly drawn in the dark during rehearsals. I know how hard that can be!
I don’t know if any of Jooss’ works have remained in the repertory. This book was published in the 1940s, and none of the ballets described within are familiar to me. It seems rather sad that the work of both men has fallen into neglect. How easy it is to become forgotten…
As for Ella Bella Ballerina and The Nutcracker, although I begin in depth this summer, the first draft of the story is already written and submitted. I wrote it over Christmas (of course!), while visions of sugar plums danced in my head! Now I must wait and see what my editor thinks. And meanwhile there is the small matter of Katie and her new adventure to attend to!
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