#petrova fossil

[epifaniacintilante]

It's not because she's fashionable and in all the magazines. It 's not even because I love engines. It's... the idea that there are roads in the sky. Ways around the world that no one has discovered.

[mockscreens]

hi, can you make lockscreens from the movie ballet shoes, please? thanks! ♡

it was hard for me to find pictures of this movie, but i hope you'll like it!

please like/reblog if you save!

my lockscreens masterlist

[sternennebel2001]

Scenes from the movie Ballet Shoes

Szenen aus dem Film Ballet Shoes

Pictures not mine

[peoplesprincesshyacinth]

Currently reading: Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild

Okay, so this is a re-read because I’ve read this book so many times before, but I want to talk about it because it’s one of my favourites! 

The book is about three adoptive sisters - Pauline, Petrova and Posy - each of whom were discovered as a baby by Matthew Brown (Great-Uncle Matthew - or GUM for short) and left in the care of his niece, Sylvia, and her old nurse, Nana. GUM embarks on many expeditions, leaving enough money to support the family for five years while he is gone - when he doesn’t return in that time frame, Sylvia and Nana take in boarders to help pay the rent and bills. One of the boarders is a woman called Theo Dane, who arranges for the children to begin classes at the Children’s Academy of Dancing and Stage Training, run by former well renowned ballet dancer Madam Fidolia. Pauline finds that she has a real passion for acting, Posy is a naturally gifted dancer - but Petrova is not keen, instead interested in aeroplanes, cars and engines. When the children are older, they have to work on-stage to contribute to supporting the household. 

(analysis/characters/talking under the cut)

Characters Just a quick summary of the characters:

Pauline - the oldest of the girls; blonde with blue eyes, she has a passion for acting.

Petrova - the middle girl; dark-haired, an orphan from Russia, a bit of a tomboy who prefers to play/think about aeroplanes/cars/engines.

Posy - the youngest girl; red-haired, her mother gave her away with a pair of ballet slippers, she has a natural gift/love for dance, especially ballet.

Sylvia - the children’s guardian, Gum’s great-niece

Nana - Sylvia’s childhood nanny who also runs the nursery for the three sisters

Gum/Great-Uncle Matthew - a paleontologist who finds each of the girls and sends to to his home in England; he disappears for ten years.

Madame Fidolia - a former Russian ballet dancer who runs the academy

Doctors Smith and Jakes - two of the boarders, they go on to educate the children for free

Mr and Mrs Simpson - two more boarders; Mr Simpson owns a garage and spends a lot of time being a confidante for Petrova. Mrs Simpson is his wife.

Theo Dane - a teacher at the Academy and one of the boarders; she’s the one who gets the children the chance to go to the academy

I first became acquainted with the book a few years ago after watching the 2007 made-for-television BBC adaptation (more on that later), and I’ve loved it ever since. It’s pretty obvious why I love this book so much, given that I’m studying a drama degree and that I do love to dance too; it’s suitable for all ages (I refuse to say any book is for just children - adults can enjoy “children’s” books too), and I feel there is a lot to talk about it when you’re older and analyse some of the things in it. 

For one, I love how this book completely destroys the whole nuclear family image that would have been prevalent in the time the book is set: the three adopted sisters refer to Sylvia not as “mother” but “Garnie” (a shortened version of “Guardian”), the house becomes made up of boarders - including a married couple, two retired teachers and the teacher at the academy - and in the book there’s no romance…it’s simply about the girls and their journeys. 

Another thing I love is that it doesn’t really play down the difficult aspects of stage-work or the situation that the family are in; Pauline and Petrova work to help earn money for their family as soon as they’re old enough for licences (though for Pauline it becomes apparent she actually really loves it), it’s something they know they have to do. In fact, most of the pupils at the Academy work because they need the money for their families - something the author herself had to do in her childhood, I believe. 

There’s lessons to be learnt that can apply to every day situation/use too; for example, when Pauline is cast as Alice she lets the fame get to her head and throws a tantrum/misbehaves - she’s then replaced by her understudy as punishment. Hard work and determination is encouraged, and it’s just a nice little story.

2007 adaptation

If you’re looking for a lighthearted, easy-to-watch film, the 2007 made-for-television/BBC version is a sweet little thing to watch - and it’s also the reason I found out about the book in the first place!

As you can see from the poster above, Emma Watson plays Pauline; the other two girls are played by Yasmin Paige (Petrova) and Lucy Boynton (Posy) - the other cast include Richard Griffiths, Emilia Fox, Victoria Wood etc. The cast are all pretty great in their roles (even though I must admit that Emma Watson’s eyebrows in the audition scene are super distracting).

This adaptation takes a number of liberties and changes things from the book; for example, Mrs Simpson is dead and Mr Simpson ends up marrying Sylvia (not my favourite part of the film, I must say). Certain small things are changed (like the girls’ ages - they all seem to be one age during the film even though I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to cover several years) but I still love watching the film because it’s easy-going and sweet.

Random note(s):

I’m now 95% sure that Doctor Smith and Doctor Jakes are in a relationship even if the book never says so; I can’t explain why but I just get the feeling they’re in a secret same-sex relationship. If they are, that’s amazing given the year this book came out!

Happy ending for all, I promise!

[sternennebel2001]

Scenes from the Movie Ballett Shoes based on a novel by Noel Streatfeild

Szenen aus dem Film Ballett Shoes basierend auf dem gleichnamigen Roman von Noel Streatfeild

Pictures not mine

[sternennebel2001]

Ballet Shoes

Ballettschuhe

Pictures not mine

[sternennebel2001]

Scenes from the Movie Ballet Shoes

Szenen aus dem Film Ballet Shoes

Pictures not mine

[theyre-gay-because-i-say-so]

Today's LGBT+ Headcanon is;

Petrova Fossil from Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild-Lesbian

Requested by @absolutelynotclassicusernam-blog

Status: Alive