Ballet Shoes
Pauline, Posy and Petrova (right-to-left)
The Fossil sisters lived in the Cromwell Road. At that end of it which is furthest away from the Brompton Road, and yet sufficiently near it to be taken to look at the dolls’ houses in the Victoria and Albert every wet day, and if not too wet expected to “save the penny and walk”.
“Gum,” Pauline, the eldest would say, “must have been a very taxi person; he couldn’t have ever thought about walking or he’d never have bought a house at the far end of the longest road in London.” Noel Streatfeild
I liked Posy best. That’s what ballet is like, it gets inside of you and quietly steals part of your soul and you know that even if you’re not very good, even if you never had a chance, a little dreaming part of you will dance Swan Lake on some invisible stage of the heart.
How sweet! It looks like a wonderful film.
How are your ballet lessons going?
It is worth watching if you can get a copy. I really want to read the book now.
They are going slower than I’d like, but I need to spend more time at home practising.
I’ll have to look for one. If it’s an Australian movie, then I don’t know if they’ll have it in America.
Well hopefully they will pick up soon! And that you will find the time to practice.
Its BBC television movie, I hope that helps.
Ah! Ballet Shoes was one of my favorite books as a child. Posy was my favorite too with Pauline coming in second. I didn’t see the movie, I was too afraid of it not doing justice to the book.
I’m sad that I’ve never read it, but I hope to soon.
“it gets inside of you and quietly steals part of your soul”
Oh yes that is exactly how it is. The reason I have kept dancing for 14 years!
I am very interested in this film now. It looks lovely. Thanks for sharing!
You must be a wonderful dancer, I’ve only being practising for less than a year, but I love it all the same.
I loved those books. I read them ’til they were in tatters. *sigh* Petrova’s my personal favorite, but then, I’m a bit of a petrolhead myself. ;-)
I think I might like Petrova more in the book, I can’t wait to read it.
I have seen that movie pretty recently and liked it. I think I have read the book before too, but I do not remember it. I’ll have to get it from the library sometime.
I have done ballet for about eight years now. I just do it because I love it though, I know I would never be able to do it professionally. Lately I have been wanting to try out other styles of dance too, but unfortunately there isn’t much dance where I live…
Have a nice day! (It’s night where I live!)
How old were you when you started? I really admire how long you’ve stuck with it. Have a lovely evening.
I started when I was about seven (I’m fourteen). I was always too shy before!
You’re lucky to have started that young, its harder to start when you’re older.
On the Princess Portal I think you once said something to the effect that throughout our lives, we’re collecting pieces of ourselves as we go along. I think, along with taking a piece of us captive, we reclaim ourselves as well through following out heart and taking the sorts of risks associated with getting involved in such activities, especially creative ones.
This is beautiful, I couldn’t agree more.
I read this and I can remember when my grandmother called me a while back to tell me what a charming movie was on television.
I can’t say they were my favorites, though. I think I liked Petrova best.
Petrova has a lot of spunk, she is a very strong character for the era this was written as well.
I think Posy was my favourite too… but it might have been because the actress was so darn adorable! Or because I’m a younger sister myself! ; )
She was, I loved her bouncing red curls.
I waited months to see that movie, and was so happy to see it last night. It inspired me a lot, and I’ve needed some kind of inspiration for quite some time now.
I also loved Posy’s hair, it was so gorgeous.
You watched it last night too? I was so happy they showed it, I wouldn’t even have known if it weren’t for Steph as I don’t watch TV.
I’m really looking forward to this movie.
I begin ballet classes at the end of the summer. I’m nervous; I’ve never danced before. I’ve dreamed about it for so long though.
You were one of the inspirations for me to finally take the plunge and enroll! :)
Good luck Casi. I found it quite hard starting at my age, and I’m not very flexible either, but I love it so much and its good to have a challenge.
I was so close to turning the TV on when I heard about this at 8.50… but it didn’t happen :( Maybe it would be better if I read the book though, I find it really hard to detach myself from the visuals a movie gives if I see the movie first. I think just seeing pictures is going to influence at least my image of Petrova, she’s so pretty!
A little silly comparison, but this reminds me of the two characters I’m playing in Imagine Ballet Star :P Swan is like Petrova and Posy is a bit like Keira (or at least she looks just as chipper!).
*eye twitch* Garrrr forget public transport being lame! Once I get a little more fit (so that I don’t die and leave early all the time :|) I’ll just bring a book to read while I wait for the train (yay getting reading time in!), and come back to ballet XD Then I can be the clumsiest again :D The timetable confuses me since they’ve updated it though.. hmm~~ ^^;
I really want to get that game, Steph and I saw it for sale in the shops yesterday and I was very tempted.
Petrova hates dancing though.
Awwwwwwww I was going to watch this but my sis would probably say it was too stupid/silly/childish/girly and make me change the channel :C
I will get the Dvd eventually and you can come over and watch it <3
This is my favorite films of all time, and one of my favorite books.
♥
I feel like I’ve really missed out on something, not having read the book before.
Oh, by the way I tried to comment on your blog but it wouldn’t let me. I just wanted to say its lovely and I’m subscribing to your feed ♥
I actually watched this of tv last night…I liked the visuals, though I hear it does not do the book justice, of course people always say that about adaptions :)
I think almost always the books are better, but the films can be special in their own way.
Wasn’t it sweet? I really loved both Gum and Sylvia, but Petrova was the sister that touched my heart. (I’m sure I would be just as awkward playing Mustardseed!) <3
It was darling. I liked Sylvia too, and Madame I almost cried when Posy asked if she could wear her Mother’s shoes because of what she said after that.
I loved this movie. It was so sweet and innocent. The ending was a bit flat but other than that I enjoyed it so much. And yeah, Posy was my favorite character too <3
I felt the same way about the ending, which is why I’d like to read the book. Posy was perfect.
This looks wonderful! I must see it soon.
Where do you go for ballet lessons? A recreation center? A ballet studio?
I’m hoping to take lessons sometime this year or next.
I take lessons at a ballet school that does adult classes too. It makes me one of the youngest pupils in the class, but I’d rather that.
I saw that film the Xmas before last and I loved it. Afterwards I went out and bought the book — which I also loved! It sits proudly on my shelf among my favourites!
I can’t wait to read the book, I’m glad you reccomend it too.
Oh, I’ve been looking forward to this movie so much! I don’t know if you’ve seen the original 1970’s British TV series. It was very sweet and the acting and characters were wonderful, but the film itself is somewhat poor quality, because it was done on early videotape and everything was filmed on a set. Usually, I don’t care for remakes, but I have a feeling that this one will at least be better film quality.
I haven’t seen the older version, but I’d like to, I really love the characters.
I saw this 2 christmas’s ago and it was the sweetest movie I’ve ever seen. I loved it. I hear the book’s good too. I need to buy it!
My friend Emily is buying the book and has kindly offered to lend it to me, perhaps if its as good as everyone says I shall have to buy my own copy.
oh it looks wonderful! thank you for posting about this. i’ll definitely have to watch it.
I think you would love it dear <3
Ballet Shoes was my absolute favourite childhood book – just beautiful. I still have my old copy, the spine so faded you can barely read the title…
I really enjoyed the film as well, they did a good adaptation.
Oh! I love your name, I have always loved ‘Harriet the Spy’ and thought it one of the best girls names ever.
Old much-loved copies like that are the best.
I was completely unaware of the movie version, though I read the book as a kid and loved it — so naturally I had to track down the film. Just finished watching it, and it was great! Perfect for a rainy afternoon (which we did have today).
I’m so glad you got the chance to enjoy it to! Its going to start raining here again soon so I’ll need lots more films..
Never heard of this but that Posy girl is gorgeous. Sounds like a good book/movie too!
I love ballet, it is so beautiful, but I don’t know why to dance ballet. I think that this movie is nice. I want to watch.
I watched this movie after reading about it here – I didn’t think it was awesome, but it was a nice way to spend some free time. I love Emma Watson, so her character automatically became my favorite. All though, ballet is one of the most beautiful things in the world, so I also liked that about the movie. Thanks for the tip!
[...] first read about Ballet Shoes at Princess Skye’s “Lost Princess” blog. The post made me curious as every girl who commented seemed to know the book, and I [...]
I grew up on this book, and while the movie was different I still love it very much :)