Dancing Through Fire

Portraits #1

by Kathryn Lasky

Like the captivating bestseller, GIRL WITH A PEARL EARRING, this exciting new series explores the stories behind the girls featured in some of the world's most dazzling paintings.

Welcome to 19th century Paris, and the world of Degas's dancers. 13-year-old Sylvie is one of the pupils at the Paris Opera Ballet, where tutus must always be starched and pointe shoes fresh. Sylvie dreams of being a prima ballerina, but her height is a she is too little. When the Franco-Prussian war begins in 1870, Paris is soon under siege and Sylvie is thrown into turmoil and tragedy. Against the fiery backdrop of war, the beauty of the ballet sustains and strengthens Sylvie. Before long, her talent and drive allows her to achieve her goal--and she graces the stage as a star.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Middle Grade, Young Adult, France, Historical, Childrens

176 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2005

About the author

Kathryn Lasky, also known as Kathryn Lasky Knight and E. L. Swann, is an award-winning American author of over one hundred books for children and adults. Best known for the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series, her work has been translated into 19 languages and includes historical fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction.

Reviews

[Sarah Fortna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a little too intentionally educational for my taste. Also, I thought it was based in the story of the actual model for Degas’ painting and also about him and his artwork. Instead, it was about a fictional ballerina and featured Degas only marginally. Not that there’s anything wrong with the book’s subject matter... I was just personally disappointed. The book did have a beautiful theme of the relationship between the fantasy created by the ballet productions in Paris and reality, as well as the role of the ballet as a unifying feature of Parisian culture during the 1871 siege of Paris. There was some truly beautiful writing as well. But overall, I don’t think the book was in any way extraordinary.

[Books and Literature for Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first picked up Dancing Through Fire I thought it was going to be about the girl who posed for the artist Degas, but it was not. It did mention Degas and Marie (the girl who actually did the sculpture posing), instead the story was about a girl named Sylvie who also danced in the Paris Opera Ballet and who was inspired by the unnamed ballerina on the cover. I guess I got Dancing Through Fire mixed up with a book called Marie, Dancing by Carolyn Meyer.

Dancing Through Fire is a short, but very detailed novel of a young ballerina during the French Reign of Terror in the 1870s. I liked this book mainly because it explored historical events and life behind the Opera stage. I danced for several years (had to stop because of a foot injury) and I know all too well the the pains of pointe shoes, fiddling with costumes, and standing still on stage for half and hour. Though ballet hasn't changed much in the past hundred years except for the invention of tights, we have it so much better when it comes to pointe shoes. Ugh. Can you imagine there just being cotton stuffed between your toes and hard block of wood? Now we have all kinds of padding, but of course it does not take the pain away.
The only thing that I disliked about Dancing Through Fire was that Sylvie was a bit too shallow and did not act like she was thirteen but much younger. The other characters though were much more realistic and with the tragic setting you got to see a whole different side of Paris. Forget the sparkling Effle Tower; during the Reign of Terror the whole city turned ugly and dangerous. Lasky had a great setting to play with, but I think she was holding back to try to make the story simple for a younger audience. I can understand that and even if some of the characters' personalities were a bit muffled, I still liked reading this book. Plus, the story behind the painting makes it even more intriguing.
Overall, Dancing Through Fire is a great book for historical fiction fans and both teens and tweens alike.


|Pages: 176|Year Published: 2005|Publisher: Scholastics|
|Genre: Historical fiction, 1800s|
|Series? Yes, Portraits series|Age Group: Ages 11+|
|Content: Mild sensuality/graphic detail|
|Recommend?| Yes

Courtesy of booksandliteratureforteens.blogspot.com

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is part of a new historical fiction series called Portraits. This series imagines what the lives of young girls in famous paintings might have been like. This particular book is based on one of the ballet paintings of Degas.

Sylvie Bertrand is a young girl who is studying to be a ballerina at the Paris Opera Ballet School in 1870. Due to poverty, her mother had to leave the ballet to marry years ago and now she is living through her hopes and dreams for Sylvie - if she could not become a famous ballerina, then Sylvie must. Although Sylvie likes the ballet, sometimes she wonders if she will ever have a life beyond her mother's dreams. Her older sister, Chantal, hated the way her mother lived through her and decided to rebel, pretending to be lazy so she would be forced to leave the ballet. When the Franco-Prussian War breaks out and Paris falls under siege, Sylvie gets a glimpse of the real world where there is sickness and starvation. She struggles with how it contrasts with the perfect fantasy world of the ballet. As the situation in Paris worsens, Sylvie decides she must do something to help and in her quest learns even more about the harshness of the real world, but she also learns that ballet is not just her mother's dream but hers as well.

I really loved Kathryn Lasky's books for the Dear America and Royal Diaries series, and this book was just as good. This is a very promising new historical series and I definitely look forward to the other books. I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the author's other historical novels, and to new readers who like historical fiction as well.

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

A neat perspective for historical fiction. An easy read, interesting characters, but I wished there had been a little more punch (for lack of a better word) to the plot and characters; I liked the characters, but the reader never really gets to know them and the plot just kind of moves along with small bursts of excitement every so often that quickly fade. I felt like Lasky had a good outline so to speak, but could have gone a lot further and made the story that much better.

[Meghan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, but just ok book. It would be helpful to have a glossary of French terms used. Unless you speak French or are a ballet dancer, this book can be tough for a junior high reader. I read it to my daughter, who is a dancer. She had started it on her own, but was having a hard time getting into it. We looked up the French terms & made our own glossary. The author made a point to name every street in Paris, which also was unnecessary, and meant nothing to those of us who have never been to France. On the up side, I am more familiar with ballet positions now, which will help when watching my daughter dance.

[Kenlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best part about this book, for me, was the lush setting. I feel I could have visited there in another life just from reading this story. The book also has rich characters with full developments and a compelling and continually entertaining plot. This is a very satisfying read. 4.5 stars.
Keywords: Lush, elegant, complete, heartbreaking, historical, and fulfilling

[Bec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kids fiction is usually so sterilized, so prettied up. While this is set in the early world of ballet, its glitz, glamour, discipline and hard work, it also doesn't hold back on the reality of living in a war zone, dealing with food shortages, soldiers, death, and government.
I'll be keeping this one to read again.

[Violet Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most darling book I’ve read this year so far. This book is about a young ballerina who dances through the wars surrounding her only to finally become aware of it when it begins to affect her world of dance. Very much a Sofia Coppoila vibe (I kinda forget how to spell her last name sorry) and an amazing book if you’re looking to get into historical fiction!

[April Klasen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Portraits: Dancing Through Fire by Kathryn Larsky is a quick read. Like, really quick. I did this in one and a half days and then sat around wondering about ballet and art and the French.
Set in 19th Century Paris we follow the story of Sylvia as she tries to grow those extra needed centimetres to graduate from student to dancer at the Paris Opera Ballet. But there is more to this story; the history of the time has been richly woven into the fictional world of Sylvia. War, bombardments, revolution, massacres, famine, and the closure of the Opera Ballet for only a handful of moments. This is the true stuff about the story. Sylvia and her family is the imagining of the author based on a painting by Degas.
The cover was what drew me in. I love Degas works and knew instantly what it was. Then I turned it over and read the blurb and that was that. Ballet and art and Paris. Too bad we hardly see anything of the artist. I honestly thought that he was going to play a bigger role, instead he’s in the corner with his sketch book and then only ever mentioned occasionally by Sylvia as a wish to be painted by the artist. That too me was a missed opportunity.
The story focusses mostly on Sylvia. She grows from a sheltered little girl, to a bold ballerina with a desire to expand her world. She’s caring and kind and a little insipid. Since this is aimed at kids, I’m a little annoyed that she isn’t more diverse in her emotions and personality, it feels like she’s just the good parts and isn’t allowed to have any “unattractive” qualities like a temper or being a flake. Yeah, I have a thing for well-rounded characters that everyone can at least find common ground with and see that being yourself isn’t a bad thing. Gender stereotypes piss me off.
I liked the ballet that was described. It was beautiful, full of magic and the different personalities of the dancers.
And the history was a nice touch. A great way for introducing people to Paris’s past. I never knew that the 19th Century was such a turmoil time. I always thought that it was a peaceful time and the arts dominated everything. In fact, I want to go forth and research more.
The writing style is very clear and simple. Great for young readers. It flows into each scene. Would’ve loved some more emotions described, but that’s it. The fact that it’s well written means that it can be read quickly, you’re not stumbling over yourself or getting bogged down in intricate details.
I have issues with this book, (obviously) but it is still a very good story and I will probably pass it along to my friend’s daughter for her to read in a couple of years time.

[Amelia Clairmont · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was given to me on loan from a coworker who knows my general ballet obsession. The premise of this book was a fun idea of taking the famous Degas ballerina painting (shown on the cover) and putting a backstory to it. I really appreciated three things about it: 1) I learned quite a lot of history concerning the Franco-Prussian war, which was the reality at the time Degas was painting, 2) the dichotomy of war vs art, while also comparing the real tragedy of war to make believe tragedy that is a common staple of traditional ballet, and 3) perhaps most importantly to me , all the ballet terms used were correct, accurate and appropriate for the style and time period and the author never once resorted to words like "twirl", "spin" or "hop" which are all too common and wrong in most ballet books for entertainment. I expected this to be just an easy and perhaps uninteresting read, but I really found the story quite compelling (though yes, also a quick and easy read)

[Laura Rodriguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this book! I read it a few years ago when I was at the mountains. As a dancer I really loved the way dancing was written in this story. I loved how we saw Sylvie(the protagonist), grow as a character throughout the book. I reread it this week and I fell in love with the deeper tones. I understood the actions of the older characters and felt the darker moments. An overall pleasant read!!!

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so excited about this book because I love to read about dancers especially when it involves historical fiction. I loved how they incorporated the French language. However, the story was a little dry. It tried to be more than the simple journey of a young ballerina by incorporating the historical side, but I still thought it was dry.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sylvie must succeed in her efforts to improve in ballet, especially for her mother whose poverty forced her to drop out of her ballet education. The war gives Sylvie a new independence and the opportunity to pursue a new goal in life.

[Mary Nuttelman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fascinating look into the Paris Opera Ballet during turbulent 1870s Paris. Sylvie rises through the ranks of the ballet, but not without experiencing the tragedy of the times.

[Brighid Hughes · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5. ⭐️

[LaRae Steen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happy Birthday Karen Lasky -- June 24, 1944

[Joy · Rating 2 out of 5]

An extremely boring historical fiction book especially for a child.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very artistic and beautiful to read!

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ballet was everything to some during this period of unrest, even when it meant physical pain. This was an interesting and disturbing time in history, but not a book I would read again.

[amelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

she was cute

[LobsterQuadrille · Rating 3 out of 5]

No long enough to do justice to all of the plot threads.

[Shae · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lasky has a clear, concise writing style with lovely imagery. Personally, however, that is not often my cup of tea to continue on and on with imagery. I'd much rather dive into the adventure and action of the book!
Still, Lasky's depiction of ballerinas in the 1800's is passionate, but you'd have to be educated in order to know what an "etoile" is (be prepared to use a lot of google if you want to stay informed with all the French words!). I'm happy that it gave me a strong impression of the French culture nonetheless, and taught me a little about the Franco-Prussian war.
Sylvie's character started out to be young and senseless (and a tad agitating), but as she was exposed to war and death she became much more mature. Her little pink chiffon fabric of innocence was ruined because of the war, which caused her to become wiser and an even better dancer. However, I would have liked to have enjoyed the characters more, but I saw very little of them through Sylvie's eyes. I found the ending extremely unsatisfying when I realized we only knew Sylvie's (possible) end of the story. Nobody else's. Please correct me if I missed it (I'm prone to skimming if a book isn't as exciting), but isn't Sylvie's mother still a depressed laundress?

The events of the books could have been more dramatic or exciting. For example, starting the chapter with a simple, "Chantal died." was a short, simple way to convey Sylvie's heartbreak through the war. It seemed that Chantal was almost a pointless character except to help Sylvie understand the Commundard's way of thinking, but as her sister I think she could have had much more of a potential for a character. This goes for most of the characters.

I have to keep reminding myself this is a young reader's book, but I would have enjoyed if the characters were more colorful and a bit more explored. Nonetheless, it was a pleasurable book after the slow start. Thus because it is educational, with a well-sewn story (and a few untied bows), I'd be happy to give it three stars. If you enjoy literal short novels, and are passionate about ballet and the Paris France culture, I would definitely recommend this book to you!

[James Crawford · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story takes place starting in 1870 in Paris. Sylvie is a young dancer in the Paris Opera Ballet, one of the group of beginners, basically, the lower stratum of the dance groups. She has a sister, Chantel, who was kicked out of the ballet for laziness. She lives with her mother who was also in ballet.

She doesn't attend regular school, centering her entire life around her dreams of being in the ballet.

There's also some material relating to the painter Degas, and there's some discussion of this in the Author's Notes section. The major portion of the book centers around the French war with the Prussians and the presence of communist thinkers in the city. This has a direct impact on the opera itself and on Sylvie's pursuit of her opera career.

For someone who loves the ballet this could be a good book. On the other hand, if you don't like ballet, or if you aren't very familiar with, then this is a book you can get easily lost in. There's a plethora of ballet terms, yet the author fails to include any kind of a glossary of what those terms mean. It thus is like reading a book on any subject you aren't familiar with, where the author uses lot of in-subject terms, leaving you somewhat bewildered about just what is going on.

I also think the fact that Sylvie doesn't go to school at all and sees it as of no importance is not the best message to send to young adults who might be reading this book. Pursuing your dream is important, yes, but doing that to the total exclusion of any kind of “standard” education is not the wisest course of action.

The entire section dealing with the war between France and Prussia would be of interest to someone who is really into that period of history; I'm not, though, and so that was another factor that basically caused the book, at least for me, to be boring.

I think it's basically a boring book about a subject which I'm not particularly interested in and in which the author did little if anything to raise my interest.

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading Kathryn Lasky's historical fiction for years. Her Dear America books were my first glimpses into historical literature. She has a knack for taking an event in history and entwining it with lovable characters and brilliant language so that children and young adults are transported to that time and place.

In this Portraits novel, Dancing Through Fire, Lasky takes it a step further and imagines how Degas's famous painting L'Etoile came to be during the midst of one of France's many revolutions.

The story follows Silvie, a young ballerina in the Paris Opera House. She lives with her single mother just as the outbreak of the revolution starts. As Lasky notes in her author's note, there is an evident contrast between the fantastical world on stage and the real world outside the doors of the opera house, where the blood of thousands is being spilled. This contrast is not lost on Silvie and she struggles within herself. Should she help those dying around her or continue to follow her dream and dance on the stage?

This is a great book for young readers, especially young girls, but it is not an easy read as I had thought it would be. The French language is used a lot without any translation. Also, the sequence of the revolution is hard to follow (though the author's note at the end clears it up somewhat). Overall, however, this is an ideal book for young readers just beginning in their history lessons.

[ROBYN MARKOW · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good YA Historical Fiction about a young dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet. The story begins with 12 year old Sylvie Bertrand wanting to grow the two inches required so she'll no longer be a Petit Rat(what the youngest dancers were called) and make it in the the Corpyee'. However,with Prussia(Germany) declaring war on France,she soon has much bigger things to worry about. I liked the fact that it didn't deal with the Abonnes';often wealthy older men who would take many of the dancers as mistresses.Though it does briefly touch the subject,this is a book aimed at young girls and the author wisely avoids going into detail about them. This book,does,however,deal with war and the tragic events that happen as a result of it. Sylvie is a very likable,plucky little heroine as she learns that there's a real world outside of the cloistered world of The Ballet. With interesting details about the POB sprinkled though-out the book as well and the painter Edgar Degas making an appearance(the cover of the book is the beautiful"Le Etoile"/"The Star";one of the most famous of his paintings of the Dancers of The Opera) Young,Ballet-Obsessed Tween girls should especially like this book.

[lucem · Rating 3 out of 5]

ABSTRACT: 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 achieve her goal.

Definitely for higher level readers (4th-8th gr maybe) and aimed at girls interested in ballet. I got bogged down in historical details while reading. Not that there were too many, but they seemed to interrupt my reading process. The author includes translations of the French in the text and historical notes at end of the book that are helpful. I felt like she was putting in good info, but it didn't seem to flow for me.

Reviewed in Booklist Dec 1 2005 and Teacher Librarian April 2007.

[Lady Knight · Rating 3 out of 5]

Katherine Lasky always puts out a decent children's historical fiction. This was no exception. In "Dancing Through Fire" she's taken on the task of telling the story behind Degas' famous painting "L'Etoile" (also known as "Dancer on the Stage").

Her tale follows Sylvie Bertrand, a young Parisien Ballet Rat (a young ballerina in training who, in addition to learning the art, performs as pieces of the scenary during ballets) who must juggle fulfilling her mother's wishes regarding ballet, her own, and the world outside the Opera House. Set during the Franco-Prussian war, this book is quite well done and follows Slyvie's learning curve from ballet Rat to Prima Ballerina and discovering the world beyond ballet.

Not extraordinary, but definately worth reading.

[Melainebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un beau roman historique avec en premier plan l'Opéra de Paris (avant le Palais Garnier)et en arrière fond, la guerre franco-prussienne puis la Commune.

Sylvie est petit rat et rêve de devenir danseuse étoile mais est ce son rêve ou celui de sa mère ? Sa soeur, Chantal,est partie de l'Opéra car ce n'était pas son rêve.
Lorsque la guerre éclate, Sylvie va découvrir la vraie vie en aidant Léontine Legrand, sa petite mère à l'Opéra, dans ses missions de collecte de nourriture. C'est en apprenant qu'elle va ouvrir son esprit et son âme et danser comme une étoile. Confrontée à la mort de la danseuse étoile Guiseppina, elle prendra conscience que la vie ne se résume pas à la danse.

[Catie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book actually brings back memories. I remember needing to read a book for my AR reading tests that kids do in middle school. In my school library, I found this book and I think it attracted me because of the cover. A beautiful ballerina painting. The story sounded good and it turned out to be great. I remember loving this book after I finished it and staying up very late just to finish it. There were many ballerina words that I learned and also some french words. Though, I can't really say any of them now. A book on the whim is a hit or miss and this one was a hit. It was excellent when I read it in middle school and I may re-read it one day.