In the early 1970s, a group of ballet dancers came to New York City looking for their big break—but the members of the all-male Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo did not confine themselves to traditional male roles, explains this delightful picture book. Some donned tutus and wigs to perform traditionally female parts, retraining themselves to wear pointe shoes. No matter their parts in the performance, though, they worked hard to master the difficult movements—adding a touch of drag and a dash of humor.
Not everyone took them seriously, but the “Trocks” stuck to their beliefs, “dancing to entertain while openly expressing themselves.” They are real ballet dancers, even though they are doing something different. After a breakthrough performance, they start to win over enthusiastic audiences, then tour the country, welcoming everyone and living out their dream.
This is a wonderful book about a piece of LGBTQ history that may be new to many readers, though the backmatter notes that the Trocks have performed in more than 600 cities and 43 countries over the past 50 years. Author Robyn McGrath keeps the text informative but never overwhelming, emphasizing the emotions of the dancers and their audiences rather than simply giving us a retelling of historical events. It feels perfectly pitched for young readers. Illustrator Alexander Mostov adds to the experience with images that capture both the dancers’ elegance and confidence. Backmatter includes a few more details of the Trocks’ history, an author’s note, and a short bibliography.
Readers (and their adults) who are already fans of the Trocks should love this highly recommended celebration of them, and those who are not yet fans just might become so.
