Blue Tights

by Rita Williams-Garcia

Growing up in a city neighborhood, fifteen-year-old Joyce, unsure of herself and not quite comfortable with her maturing body, tries to find a place to belong and a way to express herself through dance.

Genres: Young Adult, African American, Teen, Feminism

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

"I was born in Queens, N.Y, on April 13, 1957. My mother, Miss Essie, named me 'NoMo' immediately after my birth. Although I was her last child, I took my time making my appearance. I like to believe I was dreaming up a good story and wouldn’t budge until I was finished. Even now, my daughters call me 'Pokey Mom', because I slow poke around when they want to go-go-go.

"I learned to read early, and was aware of events going on as I grew up in the 60s. In the midst of real events, I daydreamed and wrote stories. Writing stories for young people is my passion and my mission. Teens will read. They hunger for stories that engage them and reflect their images and experiences."

Author of four award winning novels, Rita Williams-Garcia continues to break new ground in young people's literature. Known for their realistic portrayal of teens of color, Williams-Garcia's works have been recognized by the Coretta Scott King Award Committee, PEN Norma Klein, American Library Association, and Parents' Choice, among others. She recently served on the National Book Award Committee for Young People's Literature and is on faculty at Vermont College MFA Writing for Children and Young People.

Reviews

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea behind this book, but I just couldn't get into it because of the main character. Joyce got on my nerves. She had flaws, but they were ones that were never noticed therefore they weren't resolved. Of course, flaws can't be fixed easily and what some people see as flaws, other people see as good things, so I guess that could go either way with Joyce. Joyce is considered uncool, mainly because she has a big butt which makes guys think she's easy so they spread rumors about her and then the girls don't want to associate with a "slut". This makes Joyce a sympathetic character, because (as is often the case) she's more innocent then people expect. However, Joyce was too desperate for me. She was always throwing herself at all the wrong people; the stuck up popular girls at school and guys that were clearly only after one thing. At first I was able to understand why Joyce wanted to fit in, most of us do want to fit in. But after awhile, it just got tired. It becomes evident to the reader that these people are jerks and I grew increasingly frustrated that Joyce was too myopic to see it. Also, she's amazingly self-absorbed. She has a high opinion of herself and she's so off base sometimes. It's all about her and I didn't enjoy reading about someone with that attitude. Finally, the narration was a bit confusing. The author would essentially switch up the point of view and get into other people's heads to show the characters' thoughts, and it was not a smooth transition. I was never completely sure if the observation was Joyce's or another character's.

Joyce did have redeeming moments, sometimes she would wake up and do what needed to be done. She has an attitude and she's funny and I can appreciate her vulnerable moments. I sympathized with her over being confused about her very mature body (as her mother observes "her daughter who was capable at age ten of cooking, cleaning, getting a man to look twice and making babies." pg. 114). Granted, I've never had to deal with that but I can imagine the pressure she must have been under and the stress her body would have caused. The dancing scenes were right on; especially when the dance teacher is constantly urging Joyce to "tuck that butt under", it took me back to my dance days when that's all the teacher would tell me. This book articulates how difficult it can be for a girl whose thick and who wants to be a ballet dancer to gain respect in the ballet world. I enjoyed the descriptions of African dance as well, I was able to imagine it and I was proud of my heritage just reading about it. The best is when Joyce is describing how dancing makes her feel. Any true lover of dance will be able to relate. Besides the dancing scenes, I also thought the not-romance was excellent. I wasn't expecting the end result and it's very different from other books I've read. It's sweet, but at the same time, a bit uncomfortable. You'll have to read to find out what I mean :)

Blue Tights helped pave the way in the YA genre for books about African American dancers (this is a guess, it's the oldest book I've found that deals with AA dancers but there could be another). The characters can't be placed in a box and while Joyce will drive you crazy, her story is heartwarming and she does mature mentally. While this book was written in the '80s, the issues addressed here are still (sadly) prevalent today, especially in the African American community. The dance scenes are well done and any dancer will will appreciate them. It's a nice coming of age story with a few unexpected twists.

[Karah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have loved if this book had been longer. When Joyce matured, the story ended. I delighted that Joyce shed her silliness without succumbing to sexual pressure. Her eyes opened and her life wasn't impeded in the process.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love reading books about dance and I really wanted to like this one. Unfortunately, it's painfully obvious that this is a first novel. The point of view switches characters so often that it's jarring. Joyce is the novel's protagonist, and sometimes I couldn't tell if she was thinking something or if it was another character's thoughts.

Joyce feels shut-out of ballet because of her body type and finds a home in an African dance group. It's a great premise, but the story is not well told. Her desperation for love and attention is both understandable and frustrating, the emotional growth that occurs simple and predictable.

13/70 tbr box 2015.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, Rita Williams-Garcia has come a long way since she wrote this book. Some parts of the descriptions of Jamaica Queens are confusing and some of the sentences are clunky. Still, Joyce is an engaging--if infuriating--character. She grows up a little too suddenly, another sign that this is the first book Williams-Garcia published. Still, you can tell that she was a professional dancer not just by the names she sprinkles throughout--Cunningham, Alvin Ailey, Patricia McBride--but also by the way she describes how the dancers feel as they work. The dance experiences are some of the best parts of the book. I also very much like the character of J'Had.

[Violet · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book as a teen! I resonated with every page awesome read