‘You give in very easily,’ said Miss Pearson dryly. ‘And I thought you were a fighter. There’s no place in dancing for anyone who isn’t. It’s going to be disappointments and setbacks all the way, and you seem to have fallen at the first hurdle. Do you really want to go on?’
Moth didn’t know. She’d heard all the talk about disappointments before, and battling against misfortune had always sounded so dramatic. But over the past week misfortune had left her numb and frightened, stumbling around in a paralysing web of depression. She couldn’t any more, not with any conviction, say yes, I don’t care what happens, I can take anything, because she wasn’t sure that she could. But she did want to dance.
‘Well, think it over.’ Miss Pearson’s tone was a shade more kindly in response to Moth’s obvious distress. ‘The auditions aren’t until next term, so you’ve got time to find out about contemporary dance. Go and see the company if you can, and do some research into Martha Graham. They also have student programmes at the school, if you’re interested.’
‘If I do apply,’ Moth said tentatively, ‘would my feet be all right? I mean . . .’
‘Well I’m not a doctor, of course, and the audition will include a thorough medical examination, but I think the main objection to your feet was that the high arch wouldn’t take the strain of continuous pointe work. Contemporary dance uses different techniques and no pointe work, so you should be all right.’
Moth wanted to hug Miss Pearson, and her delight showed.
‘Moth, I’m not offering you a place at the school. I can’t do that. If you do apply, you’ll have to be prepared to be turned down again, you do understand that, don’t you?’
Moth nodded.
‘Good girl. Well I must be on my way. I’ve got a class at half past three and I mustn’t be late. See you tomorrow – in class.’ Moth didn’t argue.
So Libby has passed, she thought as she came slowly up the stairs after Miss Pearson had gone. She knows where she’s going for the next couple of years, whereas I . . .
She heard her great-aunt calling from the bedroom.
‘I dropped off and then I thought I heard the door bang. Is Libby home already? Is it time for tea?’
‘No, not yet. I shut the door and I’m sorry I woke you up.’ Moth didn’t want to talk about Miss Pearson yet, not until she’d adjusted to her change of direction.
‘Libby won’t be home for another hour at least, so I thought I might go round to the library. Would you like me to change your book?’
‘Please. I had a card this morning to say it’s my turn for that new thriller and I’d love to settle down with a nice murder this evening.’
Moth smiled. Her great-aunt’s voracious appetite for a good murder was a family joke. She took the card and bounced down the stairs, suddenly restless and tingling with energy. She had her own reason for going to the library: she wanted to see whether they had any books on Martha Graham – the name itself seemed a good omen – and contemporary dance.
Acknowledgements
The publishers are grateful to the following for permission to include material which is their copyright:
David Higham Associates on behalf of Bel Mooney for ‘I Don’t Want to Dance!’ from Prima Ballerina, edited by Miriam Hodgson, published by Methuen Children’s Books
A. M. Heath & Co. on behalf of Geraldine Kaye for ‘Mega-Nuisance’ from The Spell Singer and Other Stories, compiled by Beverley Mathias, published by Blackie in association with NLHC
Jean Ure for ‘Hi There, Supermouse’ by Jean Ure, published by Hutchinson
HarperCollins Publishers for ‘The King and Us’ by Jhanna N. Malcolm, published by Scholastic Inc.
Vivian French for ‘Boys Don’t Do Ballet – Do They?’ by Vivian French, published by Kingfisher
Vanessa Hamilton on behalf of Margaret Mahy for ‘The Hookywalker Dancers’, published by J. M. Dent and Sons Ltd
Clarissa Cridland on behalf of Lorna Hill for A Dream of Sadler’s Wells, published by Evans Brothers Ltd
Robert Chaundy on behalf of Jean Estoril for Ballet for Drina, published by William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd
HarperCollins Publishers for Come a Stranger by Cynthia Voigt, published by William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd
A. M. Heath & Co. on behalf of Joan Aiken for ‘The Rose of Puddle Fratrum’ from A Harp of Fishbones and Other Stories by Joan Aiken, published by Jonathan Cape
Jean Richardson for One Foot on the Ground by Jean Richardson, published by Knight Books
About the Author
Darcey Bussell is Britain’s best-loved and most famous ballerina. She became the youngest ever Principal in the Royal Ballet at the age of twenty, and has now danced scores of leading roles in ballets such as Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Many parts have been written especially for her.
DARCEY BUSSELL FAVOURITE BALLET STORIES
AN RHCP DIGITAL EBOOK 978 1 446 48028 1
Published in Great Britain by RHCP Digital,
an imprint of Random House Children’s Publishers UK
A Penguin Random House Company
This ebook edition published 2011
Collection copyright © Random House Children’s Books, 2002
Introduction copyright © Darcey Bussell, 2002
Illustrations copyright © Alice Englander, 2002
‘The Mysterious Miss Minning’ copyright © Harriet Castor, 2002
‘Mr George’ copyright © Jamila Gavin, 2002
‘Panic!’ copyright © Antonia Barber, 2002
First Published in Great Britain
Red Fox 9780099417596 2002
The right of Random House Children’s Books to be identified as the compiler of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
RANDOM HOUSE CHILDREN’S PUBLISHERS UK
61–63 Uxbridge Road, London W5 5SA
www.randomhousechildrens.co.uk
www.totallyrandombooks.co.uk
www.randomhouse.co.uk
Addresses for companies within The Random House Group Limited can be found at: www.randomhouse.co.uk/offices.htm
THE RANDOM HOUSE GROUP Limited Reg. No. 954009
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Darcey Bussell Favourite Ballet Stories Page 17