“A glimpse into the fragile psyche of a dancer.” —The Washington Post Jenifer Ringer, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, was thrust into the headlines after her weight was commented on by a New York Times critic, and her response ignited a public dialogue about dance and weight. Ballet aficionados and aspiring performers of all ages will want to join Ringer behind the scenes as she shares her journey from student to star and candidly discusses both her struggle with an eating disorder and the media storm that erupted after the Times review. An unusually upbeat account of life on the stage, Dancing Through It is also a coming-of-age story and an inspiring memoir of faith and of triumph over the body issues that torment all too many women and men.

Jean Little's poignant novel about an abandoned girl, and the dog who helps teach her how to trust again. Ten-year-old Min has had a long history of foster care since she was abandoned at age three. Now, let go by yet another foster family, Min continues to build a protective wall around herself. Her newest caregiver, a former Children's Aid doctor, sees past Min's hardened shell and tries to find a way to reach her...and does, finally, by taking in a sick, neglected dog that has escaped from a puppy mill. While watching the dog recover and open its heart to its new owners, Min comes out of her own shell. Readers will rejoice as Min opens her heart and allows herself to be a part of a loving family, to make friends and to finally stand up to the taunts of a bully, whose hurtful words have contributed to her lack of self-esteem.

They said only men could paint powerful pictures, but Helen Frankenthaler (1928-2011) splashed her way through the modern art world. Channeling deep emotion, Helen poured paint onto her canvas and danced with the colors to make art unlike anything anyone had ever seen. She used unique tools like mops and squeegees to push the paint around, to dazzling effects. Frankenthaler became an originator of the influential “Color Field” style of abstract expressionist painting with her “soak stain” technique, and her artwork continues to electrify new generations of artists today. Dancing Through Fields of Color discusses Frankenthaler’s early life, how she used colors to express emotion, and how she overcame the male-dominated art world of the 1950s.

Sylvie dreams of being a prima ballerina. When the Franco-Prussian war begins in 1870, Sylvie is thrown into turmoil and tragedy. Sylvie must rely on the strength that ballet gives her in order to survive and acheive her goal.

Here are the short story collaborations of legendary editor and multiple Nebula Award winning author Gardner Dozois with some of the greatest writers of modern science fiction. Each story is followed by an essay by the collaborator discussing Dozois and his influence on science fiction and beyond. Includes collaborative stories and appreciations by: Michael Bishop Pat Cadigan Michael Swanwick Jack Dann Jack C. Haldeman, II Susan Casper At the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).

The television actress recounts her experiences as a contestant on "Dancing with the Stars," a program in which she participated in part as a way to showcase her Christian faith, and describes the lessons she learned facing its challenges.

This is the story of Barbara's journey with her mother through her mother's battle with Alzheimer's. While it is a devastating and debilitating disease, they found moments of joy and laughter along the way. It also tells the story of Barbara's journey from childhood family dysfunction to forgiveness. Both journeys converge when Barbara and her three sisters unite as adults to give their mother loving care during the final years of her life. Barbara's love of dance weaves in and out of both journeys, culminating in a surprising interaction between Barbara and her mother during her mother's advanced stage of Alzheimer's. Barbara Rudnicki is retired after teaching high school English for 40 years. Now, she works part-time at Danson Feet Dance Studio, where she clogs once a week with fun women of all ages. For over 25 years, she has enjoyed summer trips exploring Minnesota with a group of teacher friends and finds that no matter how small the town, it always has fun surprises. She loves spending time with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. While this is Barbara's first adventure in publishing, she has read her work at places such as The Loft, Patrick's Cabaret, and the Blue Moon Café. Barbara Rudnicki's Dancing Through the Storm is a memoir about a woman who forgets and the women around her-her daughters-who refuse to forget. The slow, then quick, then slow presentation of Barb's mother's descent into Alzheimer's disease is carefully woven into Dancing Through the Storm, making the book feel like a dance between the author and the reader. Indeed, the dancing motif, used as an extended metaphor throughout, provides moments of joy in a book that is deeply sad but necessary reading for anyone whose life has been touched by dementia or Alzheimer's disease. - Nicole Helget, Minnesota Book Award Author, The End of the Wild

From Chaucer to Fitzgerald, writers have used dancing as a vital, if subtle, element in plot and character development. The ballroom, an important element of society in real life, was a backdrop to grand passions or pivotal encounters--ideal ground for commentary on the social milieu. This work presents 88 literary selections (from etiquette manuals, diaries, poems, plays, essays and novels) that together form a survey of social dance in England and America over a span of 500 years. They illustrate specific dances, social dance behavior or the intimate reactions of participants. One finds, for example, the ultimate downfalls of Flaubert's Emma Bovary, Hardy's Eustacia Vye, and Tolstoy's Anna Karenina are all foretold in pivotal dance scenes. Fully indexed.

Lyrical Dance - a dance choreographed to a song about overcoming obstacles. What do you do when all you've ever known about yourself, what gave your life meaning, is wiped away? How do you get it back?All of her life Esther has taken care of others. How can she let others take care of her? Will she ever be herself again? Meanwhile, Kathleen struggles to understand what it is to be a pastor's wife. Who is she now that she's married? Is it possible to grieve over the loss of a dream she didn't even know she had? Book seven of the Dancing through Life Series, Lyrical Dance explores the question of suffering in this life. Why do good people suffer? How do we go on in the face of suffering? Join Esther, Kathleen and other members of the Reese family as they continue to deal with life's challenges and find ways not only to survive, but to thrive.

When your very life is a minefield, only faith, friends, and family will get you through... Dancing through Minefields is a truly explosive story of will and wisdom. Protagonist Anne Schroeder walks the reader through a life of danger, abuse, and fear; avoiding landmines as she protects her children and unwaveringly keeps her eyes on the light at the end of the tunnel. Which will terrify you more? Mike, who threatens her safety and sanity, or Breast Cancer, which threatens her womanhood, sexuality, and her very life? Will she survive one only to be taken down by the other? Debut author Carol Feller creates a magnificent story of courage in the midst of fear, confronting real issues with corresponding emotionally- charged accounts of Anne's fight against both spousal abuse and Breast Cancer. "Descriptions were most apt and put me right in the story. Your story is compelling, convincing and uplifting." Lois Hjelmstad, author of Fine Black Lines "What you had to say was powerful, in spite of being very sad..." Jane Lukic, lyricist and performer, Breath after Breath from album After the Storm "Vivid, relatable, and above all, encouraging!" Rachel Mitchell Library Director