Dances by Nicole Cuffy was a wonderful debut novel, about a Black ballerina fighting to make it in a white-dominated ballet world. I liked her grit and determination as well as the storyline about her brother.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Dances by Nicole Cuffy is an exquisitely written, technically descriptive, entrancing debut that delves into the rigorously demanding, highly challenging world of ballet. A big thank you to Random House, the author and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy of the book.

Cece Cordell has worked tirelessly to be an accomplished ballet dancer. And now she has be promoted, which has made her the first Black principal ballerina in the history of the New York City Ballet. Cece is quickly propelled onto the center stage and into the limelight of celebrity. However, she is grappling with her feelings of separateness, the difficult relationship with her mother and disappearance of her beloved older brother, who was her first champion and supporter.

The storyline examines themes of race, relationships, sex, eating disorders and drug addiction. Dances is a poignant, emotionally compelling, character driven tell about a young woman on the cusp of change, evolving into who she’ll become. An immersive book that kept me enthusiastically turning the pages until the very end.🩰🩰🩰🩰/5

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for this read. I was happy to get this ARC to read as I was intrigued by the plot but I found the execution was not done well and the story should have been much better based on the synopsis. It was not bad but it was just okay for me. I may be hard to a debut book but I sense the author has the ability to do it but may felt it needed more detail in areas than necessary. At times, I feel sorry to be a critic as I have never wrote a novel, but I sense the author is going to do well as she writes more.

3.5

You will know from the first chapter if this book is right for you. It pushes you step by step into Cece's ballet obsessed world. Interwoven in any spaces left is a background story about family, with her brother being the focus; and also a bit of a romance. It's hard for me to rate, as while I loved the poetic prose and how almost obsessively every step was highlighted, there were a number of things that drew me out. I wanted more closure to the family storylines, and one of the tropes for a later plot is my least favorite. I also wanted there to be more commentary on current problems in the ballet world, especially at the company it's set at. It still had a tone that mde me want to read on and find out what happens. So much of the strings were sort of left though, making me think there has to be a sequel.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars
Nicole Cuffy's debut, Dances, was absolutely beautifully written touching topics of race, sex, addiction, and fraught relationships. Moving from past to present as Cece comes into her own as a dancer, a woman, a daughter, and a sister.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this novel!

This is quite a promising debut novel, though it wasn't entirely what I thought it would be. <i>Dances</i> follows Cece, a 22-year-old ballerina as she navigates the dancing world and the ghost of her brother, whom she hasn't seen for five years. The novel goes back and forth in time, so the reader sees Cece's journey as a young dancer to a principal ballerina.

I definitely think the synopsis gives a bit too much away, or at the very least, makes it seem like certain aspects of the plot are more central than they are. Namely, Cece's attempt to find her long lost brother. This doesn't happen until significantly past the 50% mark--the tension, for the most part, is in Cece's inability to reconcile with her brother's disappearance.

The novel is much more invested in the ballet world with a pretty large portion of the plot dedicated to specific dance routines and discussions around the ballets that Cece and the company are performing. I do think you need to have a pretty vested interested in ballet to really enjoy this. The author clearly knows the ins and outs of the art form, and it shows.

The writing is quite good here. It's a bit purple but without feeling overly purple. It can be both languid and cuttingly precise in its descriptions and imagery.

I liked Cece as our main character. She's a complicated character, but felt pretty realistic for a 22-year-old. I wish we had gotten more of a flashback or two with her and her friends Ryn and Irina. We're told that they've been close friends for years, and it's shown a bit in the present plot line, but it would have been great to have that more solidified in a past plot line or two.

I also think there's a bit of dissonance between the dance plot line and the familial plot line. Both sort of battled for center stage in a couple key moments of the plot, and they didn't quite mesh together as neatly as they could have. I also wish more of the plot had been dedicated to Cece's search for her brother, because I didn't really care for the romantic plot line.

I'm intrigued to see what Cuffy comes out with next. There's some strong writing and characterization here, and I'm definitely excited to see what projects follow <i>Dances</i>.

If you like dance and ballet, I would highly recommend. This made me want to rewatch so many of my favorite ballet shows, and I think the commentary on who gets to be principal ballerina was spot on.

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve always loved ballet, even though I’ve never gotten to take a single lesson. If I can’t be a ballerina in my own life, I can at least live vicariously through the characters in books. Dances is one such novel that I was especially excited to read, and it fully lived up to (and surpassed) my expectations.

At once, Dances is immersive, submerging readers in Cece’s mind as she dances ballet. Numerous passages, written in a flowing and impressionist style, depict the sequence of moves that she does during a routine. Others get into the characters Cece plays during productions of, for example, Swan Lake. The author’s writing is beautiful to read and puts ballet center stage.

(My familiarity with ballet terms is quite limited, but I had fun looking up different ballet positions and moves on YouTube. This novel’s book club kit is also a helpful resource.)

Much of Dances is about Cece’s identity and how her self-perception never seems to match how others see her. Some of this can be attributed to the competitive and demanding nature of ballet. However, for Cece, much if it also comes from her identity as a Black woman in a world that is overwhelmingly white. Messages, from her mother and from the ballet landscape at large, tell Cece that she is an interloper, that she’ll never have the right body for ballet, that she’ll never be seen as a proper ballerina due to her race. Cece’s newfound fame at being promoted to principal puts her in the public eye like never before, only increasing her disconnect between self-perception and others’ ideas of who she is. Race, “belonging” in ballet, and identity are wonderfully portrayed here.

Another core element of Dances is the depiction of relationships—friendly, romantic, familial, and more. Cece has two close friends: her roommate and fellow ballet dancer Ryn and their former ballet friend Irine. Cece also has a boyfriend, fellow ballet dancer Jasper, and though they’ve been together for four years, they may not be the best fit for the long term. Then there are the mentors, like Kaz, Luca and Galina, and Señora Sandy, who have guided and continue to guide Cece, even as the dynamic of their relationship evolves. All of these relationships have their ups and downs, and all will change over the course of this novel.

Finally, family may be the most important relationship at play here, with particular emphasis on Cece’s somewhat unsupportive (and overly practical) mother and her beloved, missing brother, Paul. A mystery surrounding Paul’s five-year-absence is always near the forefront of Cece’s mind. He was the one who supported her dreams of being a ballerina, both emotionally and financially. What happened to him? Will Cece and Paul ever be reunited?

Dances brings so many themes into play, with a narrative arc that is impossible to guess as you’re reading, yet filled with momentum that keeps you eagerly turning each page. There are some tough issues explored here (see some content warnings below), but it is ultimately a moving and hopeful story.

Dances is a superbly written and nuanced portrayal of a young woman in the throes of change. As her career advances and her relationships evolve, she is learning to accept who she is, what she stands for, and how ballet can change along with her. This is immersive, thoughtful, and a joy to read. I greatly look forward to reading more from Nicole Cuffy. And I may just have to finally try out a ballet class.




*Content warnings: Addiction; discussion of eating disorders; unplanned pregnancy; abortion; infidelity; drug use

I really enjoyed this one. The story is character driven and Cece is one heck of a character! She’s made history as the first black ballerina in the New York City Ballet’s history. Her story of getting there is very raw and realistic, as she struggles to identify who she is as a person, not just a dancer. The story is beautifully written with the prose giving off a poetic vibe as it describes, in technical detail, the different ballets performed. This was quite an emotional read for me.

Dances by Nicole Cuffy is heavy on ballet’s technical terms but is still a captivating debut.

Cece Cordell has worked extremely hard to reach the New York City Ballet. After stepping in for an injured dancer and performing flawlessly, Cece gets promoted to principal, becoming the first Black ballerina in the company. Overnight, she turns into a celebrity with all the perks. Meanwhile, Cece begins working even harder to prove to herself that she belongs at this prestigious dance company.

Internally, she also fiercely misses her older brother, who was her first supporter but disappeared years ago.

This literary fiction novel is a quick and interesting read.

Usually, when I read a book that focuses on a particular skill, I enjoy it when the author describes it in a way that does not assume any prior knowledge. Here, Nicole Cuffy does not do that. There are oodles of technical ballet terminology and next to no explanation; however, it did not negatively impact my reading experience. I just visualized the dancers leaping and twirling. But it may be an issue for some readers.

It discusses the restrictive lifestyle many ballet dancers take up. It also touches on Cece’s experience as a Black woman in a historically white industry.

Overall, this was a compelling debut, and I will keep a lookout for future releases by the author.

Thank you to One World for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

Cece is a dancer—it's all she's ever wanted to be, and at 22 she's poised to shatter barriers as the first Black principal dancer at NYCB. But even as her professional life is taking off, her personal life is getting murkier, as Cece wrestles with the future of her romantic relationship and where she and her mother and brother fall with each other.

If nothing else this book set in the dance world is full of just that: dance. Details about steps and rehearsals and muscles popping and sore toes. This is not the book for you if you want ballet to be the background while romance or something else is at the forefront; it is the book for you if you want a novel that is *about ballet* in the sense that it is what the main character lives for, and what she is happiest thinking about and doing. I am, uncoordinated non-dancer that I am, oddly fond of dance books, so this was right up my alley—lots of time in the studio, lots of ironing out kinks, lots of steps and sweat and minute details.

There is nonetheless quite a bit of interpersonal conflict and to-do, but I like the line that "Dances" is toeing between, well, drama and lack of drama. There are quite a lot of ways in which this could get Dramatic, but I find it more interesting—and Cece more likable, if that matters—that she's pretty calm about things, pretty measured, even when things get difficult or she doesn't like an outcome.

Cuffy more or less opts out of recent real-world conversations about abuse in the dance world (including at NYCB), but there is a consistent through-thread of what it means for Cece to be Black in a field (not just ballet but classical ballet) that has not traditionally been accepting of performers who are not lily-white: not just that she is held to different standards, but that she's constantly held up against a single other successful Black ballerina. For a very long time the vast majority of the fiction, too, about ballet has been about white girls and women, and it's nice to see that changing—even if it might be a while before the real version of NYCB catches up.

Not everything is tied up with a bow here. I'd have liked more resolution with Cece's family, and I'm very curious about Irine's company...enough so that I'm wondering whether there might eventually be a related book focusing on her, but maybe that's just me daydreaming about more dance books?

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.

I DNFd because I think I'm just not into all the ballet terms. The story was also kind of lost as well. Like the author was forcing conflict that didn't make sense. It didnt flow well.

I found parts of this frustrating (even as someone who took ballet for years, my head was spinning with all the technical descriptions here), but by the end... I really liked Dances.

I have issues with the synopsis (Cece does not try to go find her brother until the book is nearly over, at about the 77% marker) and some of the ways femininity and womanhood are portrayed, but Cece is a character who will stay with me for a long a while. Cuffy's language is evocative and stirring, and it makes for a memorable read.

Dances was a beautiful book. Absolutely amazingly gorgeous. Cece’s journey throughout this novel was so heartbreaking real and throughout reading, I felt her emotions. I was Cece throughout her story.
As someone who understands dance, I could see every move that was described and understood how certain moves pushed the body to its limits sometimes. But if I didn’t have that knowledge and experience I wouldn’t have felt the emotions that I did. I wouldn’t have understood the book, and I feel like I would have had trouble reading. There was a lot of talk about ballet, as it is Cece’s profession it completely makes sense, but for someone who doesn’t know much about ballet that would have been difficult to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and One World for an eARC of this book.

Did not finish this book - I really wanted to love this as I'm fascinated by ballet culture, but there was too much technical terminology for me to get into the actual story of the book and it felt way over my head :(

I’m so grateful I read this book. It was not an easy read but I found it meaningful, beautiful, and thought-provoking. I will not forget about this book, especially as someone who loves and cares about ballet. The ballet world as it is now is complicated; it’s simultaneously lovely and horrible but also better than it’s ever been while still having a long way to go. Many (if not most) of us who love ballet have also been hurt and rejected by it but we are still entranced and unwilling to let it go. This book captures all of those conflicting feelings. I can tell the author loves ballet and if you do too, I’d recommend this book. I do have a few warnings: 1) It is a slow burn. If you’re in a reading slump or looking for a page-turner, this won’t be right for you. 2) It is painful, especially if you are affected by eating disorders/body image issues, addiction, abortion, complex family issues, etc etc. 3) If you are not a ballet dancer or a ballet devotee who knows all the steps and what they’re called, you will have a hard time with the descriptions. I loved being able to envision things in my head so precisely but if I didn’t know what I know, I would’ve been bored by the paragraphs of meaningless words.

After becoming the first black principal dancer in NYCB history, Cece is launched into the spotlight. As she navigates this new semi-celebrity status, she begins to unravel her feelings about her complicated relationship with her mother and the disappearance of her older brother.

Dances was beautifully written and complex. The author really captured the high pressure atmosphere of the ballet world, and I think many dancers will resonate with the story. This book is definitely character driven and didn't contain much of a driving plot, so there were times it felt a little slow. However, I really enjoyed getting such a deep dive into Cece's mind and her relationship with ballet and the people around her.

I will say that the author was very heavy on the ballet terminology. As a dancer myself, I enjoyed it because I could picture a lot of the exact movements Cece was doing. However, I do think it would be difficult to follow if you didn't have a ballet background.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House One World for the ARC!!

This story was great; my main issue was all the technical dancing terminology. If I was a dancer, I can see this being a great addition to the writing - you'd really be able to visualize parts of the story. However, since I don't understand any of it, it just felt like filler and i found myself skimming because of it.

As a former ballet dancer, Dances hit the nail on the head for me emotionally and stylistically. The main character, Cece, is the first Black principal dancer at NYCB and is haunted by her brother’s disappearance from her life. I want to note that this in no way is a fictionalization of Misty Copeland’s rise to principal at ABT as I think some may think it is. In fact, Misty Copeland is mentioned in the book. This story is not plot heavy but absolutely gorgeously lyrical. Cuffy often takes the reader through each step of Cece’s dancing, often very nostalgic variations to those of us familiar with ballet, which made me feel like I was back in that world talking to a friend. I could vividly imagine Cece dancing Aurora’s Wedding variation and other famous pieces. However, these sections make up a significant amount of the book and likely won’t be as meaningful to those without at least knowledge of the basic ballet steps. My takeaway is that this book may not be for everyone, but to all the ballet lovers out there you will feel very seen and devour this as I did!

Thanks to Random House One World and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

Beautiful, lyrical, nuanced debut, a coming of age set in the high stakes, high pressure world of elite ballet. Cece is a gifted dancer whose talent and discipline propel her to top ranking at just 22: principal dancer at the New York City Ballet. She's also the first Black dancer to achieve this--something the world never stops reminding her. Nicole Cuffy explores the many angles of what it means to be a Black woman who shatters a glass ceiling and then has to dance and smile amid the broken glass. Haunting this story further and adding to Cece's feelings of otherness is Cece's missing older brother--the one who helped her become a dancer--and a distant mother who wanted a different life for her daughter.

There was one chapter that shifted POV to provide the reader with a part of the story that was otherwise inaccessible, but for me it was a little more distracting than fulfilling, and I was happy to return quickly to Cece's POV and to the novel's inevitable and satisfying conclusion.

4.5 stars

The premise of this book really intrigued me, and parts were enjoyable but overall I found myself wanting more.

I am not a dancer, so I needed to skip over many technical ballet terms - this didn’t bother me too much, I know that dancers probably appreciate these scenes much more than I did, but it’s something to note. The part that did bother me were the random art theories (or definitions?) that were inserted in the chapter from her brothers pov. It was such a change in narration and didn’t add much to the story. I wish parts of these were included as thoughts he had or rehearsed to himself instead. To me, they felt out of place and I ended up skimming them to get back to the story.

Generally this was a slow read, and fell a bit short for me. Though I did enjoy Cece’s determination and this peak inside a dancers world, I wanted to be inside her head more when she finally embraced her role as a role model and trailblazer. This felt rushed at the end, though I did enjoy seeing the change in her.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.