Dancing in the Dark

February 18, 2013
In a subtle first novel about familial loyalties and individuality, 12-year-old Ditty has never questioned the strict teachings of her ultra-orthodox Jewish community, the Haredi; she knows her path in life leads to marriage. But when Ditty and her best friend Sarah find a (forbidden) TV hidden in Sarah's mother's closet, Ditty discovers ballet and is hooked: "Here was a power I had never seen before, a kind of haunting loveliness I had never imagined." With help, Ditty enrolls in dance classes and turns out to be quite gifted, rising in the ranks over the years, while wrestling with the conflict between her upbringing and her passion for dance. Set in Australia and filled with details about the Haredi, the novel moves slowly toward the inevitable confrontation when Ditty's parents discover her secret. The narrative is further enriched by the choices made by Sarah and Linda, as they navigate their own lives within the context of faith. It's an intriguing glimpse into a singular culture; the persuasive depiction of Ditty's internal conflicts distinguishes Bavati's debut. Ages 12âup. Agent: Bob Diforio, D4EO Literary Agency.

December 15, 2012
Love of ballet clashes with the strict religious beliefs of a young teen's family. Ditty has been raised in a haredi community. These ultrareligious Jews focus their lives on following God's commandments as written in Jewish scripture. They are very insular, forsaking television, film and other cultural lynchpins. Among their immutable beliefs is that girls and women behave and dress modestly. Ditty's friend's mother has hidden a TV in her bedroom, though, and when the girls sneak in to watch it, she sees a performance of The Nutcracker and is hooked. Over the next few years, she manages to take classes, spinning a web of lies and deceit to her mother to cover her actions. She is quite talented, which leads to advanced classes on Saturday--in violation of the Jewish Sabbath. Finally, the lies are exposed, and Ditty must choose irrevocably between her family and ballet. Bavati traces a difficult path, on which Ditty increasingly questions her beliefs and sees them anew through the eyes of non-Jews. Readers should note that the ballet studio is not as strong a presence as the arena of religious conflicts. Glossaries of ballet terminology and Australian-isms would have been helpful to supplement the incomplete Hebrew/Yiddish glossary. A balletic variation on the familiar story of teen rebellion. (Fiction. 12 & up)

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February 1, 2013

Gr 7 Up-What if the very thing you were passionate about were forbidden by your family? This is the conundrum that Ditty Cohen has to face. Coming from an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family, she is expected to go to school and synagogue until she is old enough to be married and start a family. However, when she discovers ballet on TV, she knows she was born to do much more, and the story follows her from the time she is 12 until she is 17. Forced to keep her dancing lessons a secret from her disapproving family, she begins to wonder which is more important: passion or faith. The author gives an in-depth look at one aspect of Orthodox Judaism and how it can affect families. Although the religion plays a large role in the plot, Ditty's inspiring story will resonate with many people. It's an insightful look into the hardships that some young people must endure to find themselves, even at the risk of leaving everything they know behind. The theme of making sacrifices in order to pursue a dream is a universal one. An excellent debut novel.-Kimberly Castle-Alberts, Hudson Library & Historical Society, OH

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