Taking Flight: From War Orphan to Star Ballerina

by Elaine DePrince, Michaela DePrince Narrated by Allyson Johnson

Overview

Michaela DePrince was known as girl no. 27 at the orphanage, where she was abandoned at a young age and tormented as a "devil child" for a skin condition that makes her skin appear spotted. But it was at the orphanage that Michaela would find a picture of a beautiful ballerina en pointe that would help change the course of her life.



At the age of four, Michaela was adopted by an American family, who encouraged her love of dancing and enrolled her in classes. She went on to study at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at the American Ballet Theatre and now dances for the Dutch National Ballet.



In this engaging, moving, and unforgettable memoir, Michaela shares her dramatic journey from an orphan in West Africa to becoming one of ballet's most exciting rising stars.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description." ---Publishers Weekly Starred Review

From the Publisher - AUDIO COMMENTARY

"There is plenty of ballet detail for dance lovers to revel in, and the authors achieve a believable, distinctive teenage voice with a nice touch of lyrical description." —Publishers Weekly Starred Review

MARCH 2016 - AudioFile

Allyson Johnson narrates Michaela DePrince’s autobiographical story with a sophisticated intensity. From the terror of DePrince’s war-torn childhood, to the confusion of life in America, and the challenges in becoming a well-respected black ballerina, Johnson invokes the strength and determination of Michaela’s dream. The story begins in Africa, with young Mabinty-turned-Michaela the least favored child in the orphanage after her parents die as a result of the civil war in Sierra Leone. When her American mother adopts her and her best friend, life begins anew for Michaela. Never wavering from her desire to become a ballerina, Michaela struggles to fit into the cutthroat ballet world. Listeners will be struck not just by Johnson’s performance but also by Michaela’s perseverance in the face of adversity. E.A.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171125035
Publisher:	Tantor Audio
Publication date:	10/13/2015
Edition description:	Unabridged

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