First Position, Second Thoughts by Genise A. Jordan

A funny middle-grade story about ballet, friendship, mistakes, and finding your own rhythm

There is something especially humbling about going back to something you used to be good at and realizing… oh. I remember this very differently.

I recently went to my first salsa class in about ten years, and apparently my brain remembered a much more talented version of me. I knew the steps. In theory. My feet, unfortunately, had other plans.

So when I started reading Dani Grace Dances: First Position, Second Thoughts, Dani’s return to ballet felt very familiar.

Ten-year-old Dani Grace remembers loving ballet and being good at it. But when her best friend suddenly leaves their school to attend an elite tennis academy, Dani decides she needs something of her own to prove she can be extraordinary too. Returning to ballet sounds like a great idea… until she walks into a studio full of older, more experienced dancers and realizes that remembering something isn’t quite the same as being ready for it.

I especially loved the way dance and science come together. Dani’s mother is an astronomy professor, and Dani starts looking at ballet through the lens of physics, thinking about movement, balance, air resistance, and forces. It sounds like an unusual combination, but somehow it makes perfect sense. Dancers are doing physics with their bodies all the time, they just don’t usually call it that.

And then there are the illustrations. The book includes 80 hand-sketched illustrations, which add a lot of personality to Dani’s story. One of the funniest moments comes when Dani is trying to get away from Jake during grand jetés and accidentally sends several dancers tumbling across the floor like human dominoes. Ballet elegance: temporarily unavailable. 😂

The book also includes a Kids Guide to Ballet at the back, which is a lovely extra for readers who are new to ballet or suddenly decide they need to know what every mysterious French ballet word means.

Why you need this book

• A relatable story about starting over
• Honest friendship and jealousy dynamics
• A heroine who makes mistakes and takes responsibility for them
• Ballet without the constant “perfect dancer” fantasy
• A fun STEAM connection between science and dance
• 80 hand-sketched illustrations throughout
• Encourages perseverance without making it feel like a lesson
• Shows that competition doesn’t have to mean becoming enemies
• Includes a helpful Kids Guide to Ballet

Try this at home

Try a little Art Meets Science challenge. Pick a simple movement—jumping, spinning, balancing on one foot and ask children what they think is happening scientifically. Why do we lose balance? What helps us land? What happens when we spin faster or slower?Then let them experiment. You don’t need a ballet studio for this one. The living room will do just fine. Although perhaps move the coffee table first.

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Dani Grace Dances: First Position, Second Thoughts is a funny and heartfelt choice for young readers who enjoy dance, friendship stories, and characters who are still figuring things out. Dani’s biggest lesson isn’t really about becoming the best dancer in the room. It’s about learning that mistakes, setbacks, and wrong turns can all be part of finding your own rhythm.

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