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I think we can all agree that subcultures are incredibly interesting and ballet easily sits at the top of that list.
I love how the world these ballet books are set in is always so intense, competitive, and emotionally charged.
It really brings out both the best and the worst in the characters.
For this particular list, I made sure to include a mix of both nonfiction accounts and the very best ballet-themed novels I think everyone should read.
I’ve read quite a few of these myself, and, honestly, they’re just amazing.
I especially love when an author can make me feel everything the characters are going through.
And with the nonfiction books, it’s like stepping right into the author’s life and seeing things through their eyes, which is exactly what many of these books delivered.
So if you’re curious about the ballet subculture or just love a good, emotionally rich story, make sure you check these out!
The Turnout by Megan Abbott
If you’re anything like me and totally enchanted by ballet schools, sisters with secrets, and Nutcracker season magic, The Turnout will absolutely pull you in.
Dara and Marie grew up dancing side by side, raised in their mother’s intense ballet world.
After their parents’ sudden death, the two sisters – along with Dara’s husband Charlie – keep the family studio alive.
But just as Nutcracker season kicks off, something terrible happens and a mysterious stranger shakes up their lives.
This story has that haunting, obsessive ballet energy I can’t resist.
It’s like a darker side of ballet, full of tension, beauty, and secrets behind the curtain.
Dance or Die by Ahmad Joudeh
This one broke my heart and inspired me all at once.
Ahmad Joudeh’s journey from war-torn Syria to international ballet stages is so powerful.
He danced in secret and risked is life because he just couldn’t give up on his dream.
Despite threats, family rejection, and war, he kept dancing – literally tattooing Dance or Die on his neck as a promise to himself.
That kind of courage and love for ballet is beyond words.
It really made me see that ballet is more than performance; it’s also strength, identity, and survival.
If you need hope and heart, this memoir will stay with you long after the final page.
Girl Through Glass by Sari Wilson
This one takes you deep into the glittering yet intense world of New York ballet in the ’70s and I couldn’t stop reading.
Mira is a young girl whose life becomes all about dance: the discipline, the obsession, the aching need to be perfect.
But her growing relationship with a much older mentor turns the story into something darker.
In the present day, we meet Kate, now a professor, who must face her buried past when a letter arrives.
This book showse how ballet can shape someone forever – for better or worse.
It’s emotional, complicated, and honestly unforgettable.
A Feather on the Breath of God by Sigrid Nunez
There’s something quiet and beautiful about this book, and I can’t recommend it enough.
It’s not all ballet, but the parts that touch on dance are filled with wonder.
The narrator looks back on her childhood with immigrant parents and how ballet became a world of escape for her – a space of beauty and control when life felt confusing.
As someone who finds comfort in ballet, I really connected with how she used dance to make sense of her world.
This story is thoughtful and gentle, and if you like books that explore identity and memory with grace, it’s a lovely one to curl up with.
Being a Ballerina by Gavin Larsen
This book felt like having coffee with a ballerina who tells you everything – every triumph, every bruise, every moment of joy and doubt.
Gavin shares her life in dance with such honesty, and I loved reading about the little things: her first class, tough rehearsals, big performances, and the bittersweet goodbye when she retired.
It made me appreciate the everyday grit behind ballet’s elegance.
If you’ve ever dreamed of being a dancer or just adore ballet like I do, you’ll love how this memoir peeks behind the curtain and shows you the real, vulnerable, beautiful journey of a dancing life.
Center Center by James Whiteside
This one made me laugh out loud, tear up, and cheer all at once.
James Whiteside is not just a principal dancer – he’s also a drag queen and pop star, and his personality sparkles on every page.
He writes about his childhood, dance camps, heartbreaks, and hilarious moments with so much charm.
What I love most is how he breaks every ballet stereotype and shows that dancers can be wild, funny, loud, and unapologetically themselves.
His love for ballet shines through every story.
It’s a joyful, no-rules celebration of being exactly who you are and dancing your heart out the whole way.
The Master’s Muse by Varley O’Connor
This novel is soft and heartbreaking in the most elegant way.
It tells the story of Tanaquil Le Clercq, a gifted ballerina who captured the heart of legendary choreographer George Balanchine.
But when polio suddenly ends her career, everything changes.
Their love, once so full of dance, is tested deeply.
I was so moved by Tanny’s strength – her fight to find a new dream even when ballet was taken from her.
It’s a beautiful love story, yes, but also a story of strength and love.
For anyone who’s ever loved ballet deeply, this one feels like a graceful ache in your heart.
Life in Motion by Misty Copeland
I’ve always adored Misty Copeland, and her memoir is just as inspiring as you’d imagine.
From a tiny motel room to the grandest ballet stages in the world, Misty’s journey is full of strength and grace.
She didn’t fit the typical image of a ballerina, but that never stopped her. In fact, it became her power.
She talks honestly about poverty, family struggles, and the intense world of ballet but always with hope and heart.
Her story proves that you can chase the impossible and make it real.
If you need a reminder that dreams come true, this is the book to read.
Astonish Me by Maggie Shipstead
This novel is filled with passion, secrets, and the way ballet wraps itself around your life.
Joan is a dancer who helps a famous Russian ballerina defect, but her own career ends when she becomes pregnant.
Years later, her son becomes a ballet prodigy, and the past creeps back in.
There’s so much to love here – ballet’s magic, the cost of ambition, and how we carry our past into the future.
I was swept away by the drama, the beauty, and the aching pull of old choices.
Mr. B: George Balanchine’s 20th Century by Jennifer Homans
I’ve always been fascinated by George Balanchine – how could you not be? He changed ballet forever.
This big, thoughtful biography tells his story like never before.
It’s not just about his ballets (which are stunning) but about his life, his beliefs, and how he saw beauty in everything.
Jennifer Homans brings him to life with care and curiosity.
I felt like I was watching ballet history unfold, one leap at a time.
If you’ve ever danced to a Balanchine piece or sat in awe of one of his ballets, this book is a gorgeous, detailed tribute to the man behind the magic.
Do you think you’ll be checking out any of these ballet books anytime soon? Let me know in the comments below.
And if you have a favorite ballet book you’ve read – or one you think everyone needs to check out – be sure to drop your recommendation too.
