For little tippy-toes, this book sets the barre
Caribbean Life, Oct. 9-15, 2020 41
By Terri Schlichenmeyer
These days, helping others
is on point.
It’s the best thing to do – not
just for them, but for you. Everybody’s
happy when you work
together because it makes the
task a little easier, and learning
is better when you teach
one another as you go. Helping
others is right on point and,
in the new book “Bunheads”
by Misty Copeland, illustrated
by Setor Fiadzigbey, it’s more
fun, too.
Everyone was really excited
when Miss Bradley made her
announcement at the beginning
of dance class. She said
they were going to perform
the ballet Coppélia, a tale of
a toymaker, a beautiful doll,
a boy named Franz, and his
jealous girlfriend, Swanilda. It
was a dramatic tale and little
Misty couldn’t wait to dance
that ballet.
This, in fact, would be her
first big dance and she very
much wanted to be Swanilda.
“Bunheads” author Misty Copeland. Under Armour
But before she could do that,
she had to try out for the role,
just like all the other girls in
ballet class. There were a lot
of different dances to know
and she’d have to do them all
perfectly, from the easy développé
to tendu front, to the
very hard-to-do pas de bourrée.
Misty‘d never danced like
that before, but as Miss Bradley
called Misty and a girl
named Cat up to the front of
the room, she said Misty was
“very good.”
Miss Bradley asked Cat to
show Misty the first part of the
Coppélia. Misty was so excited!
Even the name, pronounced
“Co-pay-lee-ah,” sounded
“magical and full of mystery!”
But the next day, Mmisty
began to have her doubts. Cat
was really good. What if she
wanted the part of Swanilda,
too? How could Misty ever
compete with anyone so talented?
As the other dancers filed
into class, Cat and Misty stuck
together. Cat began to teach
Misty more moves, and it was
so much fun but everyone in
ballet class, it seemed, wanted
to dance the Coppélia. Misty
could predict that Cat would
definitely be in the ballet
because nobody was a better
dancer. But would Misty land
a part, too?
At the risk of being a spoiler,
there’s a happy ending to
“Bunheads,” but you probably
already knew that, whether
you’re a patron of the ballet
or not.
Which brings us to the meat
of this book: even the title,
referring to hairstyle, is for
little ballet dancers. Pure and
simple, it’s for kids who twirl
and tippy-toe and jeté through
the house, kids who first-position
without even thinking
about it, kids who‘d wear a
tutu in the tub, if they could.
Author Misty Copeland speaks
directly to their hearts with
authenticity, and she addresses
any ballet-diva behavior your
little one might have by showing
that competition is good
but learning from the competition
is better.
Non-dancers may appreciate
this adorable book, but it’ll
be so much more meaningful
for little ballet stars or ballet
fans, boys or girls, ages 3 to 7.
If that barre is already set for
your child, “Bunheads” is en
pointe.
“Bunheads” by Misty
Copeland, illustrated by
Setor Fiadzigbey
c.2020, Putnam $17.99
/ $23.75
Canada
32 pages
Book cover of “Bunheads” by Misty Copeland.