Survival in the Dance World

Survival in the Dance World is a fascinating insight into the life of a ballet dancer, teacher and choreographer before, during and after the Second World War. The book includes over 80 photographs from Joy's career including stills from the film The Red Shoes. Joy's memoirs start with her training from the age of 3 in London, England to her training with the famous Nicolai Legat at age 10 and to the continuation of her training in France after his death with Olga Preobajenska. From there, we follow her travels as she tours with companies before and during the war in France, Denmark, England, Burma, Sri Lanka and India where she meets her husband and family life begins. Joy then takes us through her many accomplishments including the film "The Red Shoes" in which she danced and also her various ballet schools. She shares her struggles with us as well during those years, including trying to balance a ballet career with family life in England and then later, on to Canada. She takes us through the years where she teaches in Ottawa, Winnipeg, Alberta and Vancouver and then back again to England, where she teaches and is also a Major Examiner for the Royal Academy of Dance, which takes her on more travels. Finally, she takes us back to Canada and to her retirement years since 1989 where Joy lives in Parksville and teaches at the Kirkwood Academy of Performing Arts in Nanaimo.