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To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel

By Hervé St.Louis
October 29, 2006 - 11:14

To Dance is an autobiographical story by dance instructor Siena Cherson Siegel about her passion for dancing and how she became a ballerina. From Porto Rican family, Cherson relates her story, through the hard training at exclusive dance academy, and the conflicts of her parents. Working with husband Mark Siegel, Cherson Siegel ultimately reveals how if her youthful hopes for a ballerina’s career were achieved.

To Dance is a different kind of comic book which will appeal to a large amount of comic book readers. It’s about a topic that is not often explored in comic books, but whose visual form is perfect for the comic book page. Here Cherson, narrates vividly the events that lead her to become a dancer, giving readers a first person look at a universe rarely seen. The story is easy to read and although suitable for kids, has a flair of maturity in the commentary. However, the story lacks a complicated plot or suspense. It feels more like a personal journal.

The highlight of this comic book is the artwork which is well illustrated and uses many sequential art storytelling tricks to get its points across. Siegel obviously masters page composition and provides enough interesting graphics to stop the story from being an illustrated book. Given the tone and constant narration, it would have been easy for an inferior artist to fall into that trap.

8/10

Last Updated: January 17, 2025 - 08:20