Other Stages

They thought the professional ballet world was tough. Then they tried parenting.

From the author of Outside the Limelight—named a Kirkus Best Book of 2017—comes a story about parenting, the performing arts, surviving high school and fighting back, in this gripping finale to the Ballet Theatre Chronicles.

Katrina Devries, having navigated the cutthroat world of professional ballet to arrive at the top, has found the perfect life as a principal dancer and mother of a three-year-old. But when her partner announces he's found true love elsewhere and moves out, Katrina's perfect world begins to crack. Devastated, she turns to April, her best friend among the company's artistic staff.

April, a seasoned ballet master and parent, is confident she can solve any problem thrown her way and plants a distraction at the studios: a handsome young pianist, eager for work as an accompanist. Only it's April's teen daughter, not Katrina, who falls for him, hard.

Now April's dealing with new, tougher problems on the home front and at the studios, where a celebrity choreographer's ballet featuring Katrina borders on disturbing. When he and his ballet display violence—toward Katrina—April must make a controversial decision that upends protocol and imperils the careers both she and Katrina have worked a lifetime to build.

Other Stages chronicles the behind-the-scenes challenges of professional ballet, parenting and friendships, amid the journey of learning what to accept and when to fight back for what's right.