BWW Book Review: A CHANCE TO DANCE, by Betsy Bradley

If ever there were a prime example of the adage "Don't judge a book by its cover," Betsy Bradley's A Chance to Dance is it. The cover photo of three very young ballet students made me assume that the content would largely focus on early ballet training. The subtitle, "A Parent's Guide to Healthy Dance Education", did little to change that first impression. In fact I might have skipped reading the book had it not been given to me by my daughter, a dance teacher I trust to have worthy opinions.

And now the good news: Bradley has written a clear, comprehensive guide to dance education in all its current ramifications including jazz and hip hop. She discusses classes for students of all ages including adults. Her tone is friendly and accessible. She lays out the facts about everything from cost to male dance education to competitions, and much more. Any parent with limited knowledge of dance would benefit from Bradley's information and advice. As a lifelong ballet teacher myself, I sometimes forget how much the novice dance parent needs to learn. This book fills that need.

Bradley -- known to all as Miss Betsy -- brought to her writing 40 years of teaching, most recently at the School of Ballet Arizona in Phoenix. She holds a BFA in ballet and an M.Ed. from the University of Utah. She is currently on the Board of Directors of the Scottsdale Ballet Foundation in Arizona. I suggest that you recommend this valuable volume to anyone you know who is considering enrolling a child in a dance school. You'll be glad you did!

Here's the link on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Chance-Dance-Parents-Healthy-Education/dp/1505366968

Photo courtesy of Betsy Bradley