Anonymous, as told to Tucker Shaw. Confessions of a Backup Dancer.ANONYMOUS, as told to Tucker Shaw. Confessions of a backup dancer A backup dancer is a dancer who dances with or behind the lead performers in a live musical act. Their movements (especially where there are many moving together) provide a visual symmetry and rhythm to accompany the music. . Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster U.S. publishing company. It was founded in 1924 by Richard L. Simon (1899–1960) and M. Lincoln Schuster (1897–1970), whose initial project, the original crossword-puzzle book, was a best-seller. . 265p. c2004. 0-689-87075-2. $8.99. S The confessions are those of Kelly Kimball, a 17-year-old dance instructor with a dysfunctional family dysfunctional family Psychology A family with multiple 'internal'–eg sibling rivalries, parent-child– conflicts, domestic violence, mental illness, single parenthood, or 'external'–eg alcohol or drug abuse, extramarital affairs, gambling, and a best friend who convinces her to try out for a new pop girl-band. Kelly does not make the cut for the band, but is offered a dream job as a backup dancer for a huge pop star. Told through journal entries, e-mails, news articles, and IMs, Confessions is a quick read. Kelly, renamed K.K. for the concert tour, is excited about the money and the chance to dance. What starts out as a dream gig quickly turns into a fight with the reality of life on the road with a pop star (Darcy), her overbearing mother (Darla) who hates Kelly, unfriendly and cliquish clique n. A small exclusive group of friends or associates. intr.v. cliqued, cliqu·ing, cliques Informal To form, associate in, or act as a clique. fellow dancers, and the press that follows it all. Kelly finds herself in the middle of Darcy and Darla, Darcy and her not-to-be-made-public boyfriend. Jesse Nixon (MTV MTV in full Music Television U.S. cable television network, established in 1980 to present videos of musicians and singers performing new rock music. MTV won a wide following among rock-music fans worldwide and greatly affected the popular-music business. VJ). and eventually Darcy and her rival pop star, Pashmina pash·mi·na n. 1. Fine, downy wool growing beneath the outer hair of feral Himalayan goats. 2. A soft fabric made of this wool. [Persian pashm . There is an underlying story of Kelly's relationship with her troubled brother and her mother's impending im·pend intr.v. im·pend·ed, im·pend·ing, im·pends 1. To be about to occur: Her retirement is impending. 2. divorce that adds to the stress that Kelly experiences. There is little character development that does not seem to fluctuate between what seems to be real and what might be fake depending on the motivation of the character, but that interpretation can be left up to the reader. Fans of any gossipy pop star/celebrity magazine will surely enjoy this book. With the lives of real pop stars seemingly newsworthy on a daily basis, the story is believable and readers will find themselves rooting for Kelly and her success as a dancer. There is some mature content and language, so this is recommended for older teens. Fans of the Gossip Girl series and stories told through the use of different mechanisms (e-mail, IM, diary, etc.) will find this book and share it with their friends. Stephanie Squicciarini, Teen Services Libn., Fairport P.L., Fairport, NY |
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