Dance of the Earth
by Anna M. Holmes
From world stages to theatres of war, Dance of the Earth is a sweeping family saga.
Set against the backdrops of London’s gilded Alhambra music hall, Diaghilev’s dazzling Ballets Russes, and the upheavals of the First World War, Rose and her children, Nina and Walter, pursue their ambitions, loves, and dreams. Dance and music shape their identities, helping each to find their place in the world.
Spanning the years 1875 to 1921—an era of profound artistic and social change—fact and fiction interweave in this tapestry of birth, sacrifice, and renewal. Art—both serious and comic—is at the story’s beating heart.
"Draws on her knowledge of British dance history to capture the changes from late 19th century to early 20th century."
~ Jane Pritchard, M.B.E, Curator of Dance, V&A
"A wonderful blend of fun and grit. I love the delivery and descriptions and I will be looking for more of Anna M Holmes's work."
~ Abbe, 5* Amazon Review
Introducing Rose, Nina and Walter!
Dance of the Earth spans the years 1875 to 1921, a period of profound artistic and social change. There are three main characters: Rose and her twins, Nina and Walter.
In Igor Stravinsky’s composition The Rite of Spring, the climatic section that closes Act 1 is titled Dance of the Earth. In it, dancing pagans become one with the earth. It draws the community together preparing them for the sacrifice that will follow. There is something of all three main characters here. Rose grounding her family attempting to draw them close. Nina, certainly, a dancing pagan. Walter, one of the millions of men prepared to sacrifice themselves.
Finding Rose’s character.
Rose develops from a sentimental, simple, girl to a matriarch, grounding her disparate family.
The first photo is of Emma Palladino, one of the Alhambra Theatre’s ballerinas whom Rose adores as a child. The second indicates the type of ballets Rose performed in, wearing these corseted military-style outfits. The third is a photo I found of a young Edwardian woman, and this is how I imagine Rose in her youth. In fact, I used this photo to describe a portrait of her in my story.
Rose is a foundling: a newborn left at the Alhambra Theatre stage door. Cared for by Molly, a costume seamstress, backstage is Rose’s playground shaping her character. She leaves school aged ten to join the Alhambra’s corps de ballet.
Never once did she regret leaving school early. Alhambra ballets taught her everything she needed: hornpipes from England, reels from Scotland, jigs from Ireland. And tarantellas ‘are from my country,’ Madame Cormani reminded them. Sometimes in newspapers she spotted headlines of trouble brewing but was incurious, her eyes sliding to the entertainment listings. Theatres of far-away wars that troubled politicians only touched her theatre in cheerful ways. She knew being British – English – was the best thing in the world, and her queen ruled a lot of that.
As a child Rose loves ballets with maidens rescued by princes, and dreams of similarly being swept off her feet. Yet I associate her with the element of earth. She has toffee-coloured eyes and a sweet-tooth, leading to middle-aged weight gain. By then she describes herself as ‘salt of the earth’. She is honest and good in a down to earth way.
Finding Nina’s character
Nina, Rose's daughter, is driven by passions. She is a survivor cutting through life.
As a child Nina sees Isadora Duncan dance, admiring how the artist decides what, and how, to dance. Later, she is enamoured with the Ballets Russes - a favourite being the Firebird. The third image, painted in 1918, I found after writing my story, and I thought this nails Nina as a young woman: effortlessly elegant.
Nina I associate with the element of fire. Here’s Nina’s introduction as a child of twelve and note the opening sentence.
Nina was ablaze, legs pumping, arms windmilling, signalling to a friend ahead of her. ‘Edith!’ Having cut through Cecil Court passage she was scampering along St Martin’s Lane to get to the theatre before the half-past-two curtain-up. The Duke of York’s foyer was almost empty, most people in their seats.
Edith headed up the stairs. ‘Cutting it fine!’
‘Sorry, sorry, couldn’t get away.’ Nina was close behind, overtaking. ‘Come on! Keep up!’ And upward they sped to the side slips in the upper gallery.
When Nina, a teenager, sees The Firebird, she identifies with that untamed bird: a character living life on its own terms, certainly not wanting to be rescued by a prince. I have given Nina coronas around her eyes (that fire again!) Later, she decides she will be a phoenix rising from the ashes of war.
Finding Walter’s character
Walter seeks beauty and harmony, with ugliness an insult to his eye.
Rose was named after Rosalinde, a character in the operetta Die Fledermaus. Nina was meant to be Rina after Pierina Legnani - one of Rose's favourite ballerinas - but Nina stuck. The fiction of how Walter came by his name is explained in my story, but the real reason I chose Walter is different.
I pay homage to author L.M. Montgomery’s Walter. How many readers love her Anne of Green Gables books? The last in that series, Rilla of Ingleside, is my favourite. Anne’s children are grown up, or growing up, and the Great War laps at their doorstep - as it does in Dance of the Earth.
My Walter is a sensitive soul just as Anne's son is. He is in the school choir and loves poetry. He is a very good pianist - first attracted to Romantic composers before life's experiences change him and he turns to the harsh sounds of Stravinsky and new compositional forms. Walter faces battles, both internal (attraction to his own sex) and external (fighting in World War 1).
I associate Walter with the element of air. He has sky blue eyes and…
He dreams he is floating on fluffy Cumulus clouds in a blue sky – a recurring childhood dream – tethered only by the sounds of Mother playing on her grand piano. It is peaceful and he wishes he could stay up there but always he wakes.
Some readers have found Walter’s story and character arc the most compelling. I am interested in hearing thoughts of other readers.
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It’s a pleasure to share insights into Dance of the Earth.
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This title is available to order at all good bookshops, and in online bookstores in ebook and paperback formats.
Stories with big themes written as page-turners are Anna M Holmes’s speciality.
With an extensive background in dance and theatre, Dance of the Earth is a story she has longed to write.
Her novels—The Find, Wayward Voyage, and Blind Eye—are all typified by deep research.
Anna worked as a radio journalist before embarking on a career in arts management. Originally from New Zealand, she now lives in South-West London.
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Thanks for sharing some background into my novel.
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome, Anna. It's such an interesting post, introducing your protagonists and their motivations.
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