Bharatanatyam in Ballet Shoes

When ballet meets bharatanatyam, beautiful movement and storytelling invite everyone into the dance. Bharatanatyam in Ballet Shoes by Mahak Jain and Anu Chouhan tells the story of combining dance styles to create an atmosphere of inclusion.

Paro is a little nervous on her first day of ballet class. She’s a great bharatanatyam dancer but ballet…maybe not so much. When the other children in the class seem so much better than her, she feels discouraged, especially because bharatanatyam and ballet are so different, or so she thinks. When Paro’s mother sees how discouraged she is, she plans a special surprise.

Mahak Jain gifts readers with a story that will feel both specific and universal at the same time. Every reader can connect with dance, it’s something we do without even thinking about it sometimes. By melding bharatanatyam, a dance style inspired by traditional Indian temple dances, and ballet, a popular dance style known worldwide, she invites readers to share their dances with each other. This cross cultural story reminds readers of how far reaching our world is and the importance of the arts. When we open our hearts to different ways of moving, we create a more inclusive space for all young dancers.

I love the descriptions in the story. Mahak Jain really emphasizes the strength and grounding of bharatanatyam and the lightness of ballet; how one is a queen when performing the first and a fairy when performing the later. When combined, Paro is a Fairy Queen and seeing how much her dance classmates enjoy learning bharatanatyam encourages her to keep dancing.

I love the instructions at the end of the book to encourage readers to make their own ghungroo, ankle bells, to dance and make some music of their own.

Anu Chouhan’s illustrations are so bright and vibrant! I really love the little embellishments she includes by the dancer’s feet when they are performing bharatanatyam. The whimsy and the colours are so inviting and remind readers of the power of the dance.