Dance Divas: Showtime!

Dance Divas #1

by Sheryl Berk

Curtains up on the world of the Dance Divas, a team of 8-12 year-old girls who live to dance! Enter stage left: Scarlett, Rochelle, Liberty, Bria, and Gracie. They all dance together at the same studio, run by their choreographer (and former ballerina) Antoinette “Toni” Moore. Toni is known for creating winning routines . . . and she doesn't like anything other than first place! These girls travel all around competing for titles-but every number drums up drama. Can Scarlett hold on to her national junior title? And will the other girls learn to work together in order to defeat their fiercest competition yet? This first book in a new dance series is sure to sweep young readers off their feet!

Genres: Realistic Fiction, Middle Grade

160 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2013

About the author

Sheryl Berk is an American writer and editor best known as the co-author of the New York Times bestseller Soul Surfer, written with Bethany Hamilton and later adapted into a feature film. She has co-written eight bestselling celebrity biographies, including Heart to Heart, Wise Girl: What I’ve Learned About Life, Love, and Loss, and The Rules According to JWOWW. A graduate of Syracuse University, Berk served as entertainment editor for McCall’s and as editor-in-chief of Life & Style Magazine. She also co-authored three popular children’s and young adult series—The Cupcake Club, Fashion Academy, and Ask Emma—with her daughter Carrie Berk, and is the author of the Dance Divas series, which inspired the off-Broadway musical Dance Divas Nutcracker.

Reviews

[Jnase1 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The whole time I was reading this book, all I could think of was "This reads like an episode of Dance Moms." But unlike Dance Moms, Miss Toni is much nicer to her girls when correcting them.

Younger dancers (second-fourth grade) would enjoy this read. It throws in a lot of dance terms and has an interesting plot. I give it a 3.5.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

My 9 year old daughter and I read the first few chapters of this book and I have to say we were disappointed. My daughter has danced for 6 years and loves dance. She was disappointed how the author focused so much on the drama between the girls, the in-fighting, namecalling, and awful attitudes. She said she wished the excitement in the story could have come from dance-related things instead of gossip and drama. Had high hopes for this series, but she lost interest in the book and isn't interested in trying the other one.

[Rusty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little tale about team competition, sportsmanship and solo performances. The book takes the Dance Divas to competitions where the girls compete and learn how hard it is to excel. When they lose they are devastated and when they win they are ecstatic. The dance instructor focuses on practice, practice, practice and perfection. In addition, she enforces fair competition and and winning with grace. It's a very nice story.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book and most of the series in late elementary school (didn’t finish On Pointe). I used to dance and still do but I was pretty serious about it back then so I ate these books up. They were my last middle grade books so they definitely hold a really special place in my heart. I hope to give them to my own kids one day.

[Saadhana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is about a wonderful team of ballerinas working together and their teacher,Miss Toni is very strict when it comes to dancing and she wants her team to WIN,WIN,WIN if they don't well she will say "As long as you tried your best"So thats why i want it to give it 5 stars!


:)

[Erratic Bookish Teapot · Rating 4 out of 5]

8 y.o. review: My favorite part was the recital. My favorite character was Scarlett. My least favorite part was when they were at practice but they were arguing.

[Freya Hooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

What this book is about:
In this first book of the series, four friends are preparing for a dance competition. While they may bicker among themselves, they are committed to putting their best foot forward on the dance floor. Turns out the competition is heating up when an old rival of their dance teacher Miss Toni turns up with her City Feet Dance troupe and challenges the girls of Dance Divas. Will the rivalry between the teacher cause everyone to behave badly, or can the girls compete fair and square?

Why I love this book:
My daughter has always enjoyed The Cupcake Club series, so I was very excited to see that Sheryl Berk had come out with a series that touches on the world of dance competitions. I know quite a few young ladies who will find these books particularly relevant (none of them being my daughter who prefers cleats to ballet shoes.) While I can’t vouch for the authenticity of the dance competition sequences, it felt real to me. Berk does a solid job of writing an engaging story.

While the series is a bit formulaic, the writing is strong enough that it will appeal to girls who are starting on “real” chapter books. In fact, they will probably thrive on the predictability. With an African American and Asian character, Berk nicely expands the visual diversity of the series and in the next installment we get to see boys dancing! (again not my boys, unless it involved playing video games simultaneously)

Who this book is for:
Girls who participate in dance competitions will particularly enjoy this series. However, ultimately it is a book about friendship, so girls who enjoy those books will like this new offering.

Final thoughts:
No the author is not Cheryl Burke from Dancing With the Stars.

[Andrew Winkel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to my 8 and 6 year old girls. I was actually surprised how much my 6 year old enjoyed it. She reacted physically to some of the story tension, covering her head with her blankets when an especially tense moment was at hand.

[Paige]

will someone tell me how to actually read a book on this app!!??

[David · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm in2 ballerina thinks bit I like it a drop and I like the show part that was good

[Balters' 3rd Grade Class · Rating 5 out of 5]

F.A. 5 stars

[Allison Shepard]

IN my opinion this book was terrific. I didn't only like this book just because it's dancing, I like it because it's easy to read and comprehend. I like this book because u got to see everyone's attitude in a clear picture in my head. This book was about 5 different characters and attitudes. One broke there arm and everyone was mad at her. She was one of the best dancers too. She was devestated.