LAST DANCE

Can a pair of enchanted shoes save a ballerina’s career?

As a child, Miriam was pushed to be the best. Now, as an adult principal dancer, her ambition leads her to overwork her body to the point of injury. Refusing to believe she’ll never dance again, Miriam pushes herself, her attempts to dance ending in devastating pain until she uncovers a magical door to the wings of a shadowy theater. There, a childlike shadow spirit entices Miriam with an enchanted pair of pointe shoes that will allow her to dance again. Will Miriam’s jealousy and ambition lead to tragedy, or will she find the courage to fight back and take steps toward a healthier, happier life? Done in a palette dominated by gray-blue and soft yellow, the illustrations use a variety of perspectives to show the movement of the dancers. Speech-bubble dialogue and wordless sequences move the serviceable plot along at a brisk pace. Miriam is drawn as a tall, blond White woman; the company as a whole is diverse. Balletomanes will notice that, oddly, the dancers often wear their hair loose. Although there are parallels to Hans Christian Andersen’s classic “The Red Shoes,” this moralistic story avoids a sinister or tragic conclusion. Instead, Miriam is forgiven by most for her overweening ambition, and the tidy, bland resolution allows her the opportunity to lead a meaningful life.

A ballet story with a slight surreal twist for dance lovers.