A SPECIAL DEDICATION

by Cindy McDonald

If you read my bio it says that my life whirled around a song and a dance for twenty-six years. That’s right, I was a professional dancer/choreographer. I loved my dance school, and when I made the decision to retire from dance to write, it was a heart-wrenching decision indeed.

Over those twenty-six years I’d like to think that I touched a lot of young girls lives in a positive nurturing way. I’d like to think that I helped form them into the lovely young women that many of them became: mothers, lawyers, physical therapists, teachers, and the like. When I bump into my former students they throw their arms around me, kiss me on the cheek, and say things like: “Oh, Miss Cindy, I’m so happy to see you! I miss you so much and I miss dance so much. It was the best time of my life.”

The feeling is most mutual. But the very best part of choreographing was the ballets that we performed. I produced many: The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, The Firebird which was my second favorite. But it was Coppelia that was my absolute favorite ballet that my dance school performed.

The year was 2005. I struggled that year to produce my show. We had lost my father very unexpectedly on Valentines Day that year—he simply dropped dead in his chair after breakfast. Needless to say my focus was a little off. I had girls counting on me to put on a great show and I’m not one to let anyone down regardless of the circumstances.

I had chosen Coppelia to be our ballet production that year and I dug in with everything I had to choreograph the ballet. When the costumes arrived in March, they were fantastic! A good friend of mine, John, who directed many of the musicals that I choreographed locally, had agreed to play the role of Dr. Coppelius. John is an older man and he is fabulous with a fun sense of humor—the girls all loved him.

Coppelia was a great success and the ballet holds a special place in my heart as does the entire cast. To the Breaking Pointe is dedicated to that cast—the ballet is featured in the book. As I wrote the story—especially the parts where the ballet is mentioned—I could hear the music. I could see the costumes, and I could see the girls in my mind’s eye dancing about the stage. I could see John with a pair of faux bifocals parked at the edge of his nose, chasing Swan Hilda around the shop as Dr. Coppelius.

I have so many warm memories of my dance school, but this ballet was so very special to me and so is To the Breaking Pointe.

* For more information on To the Breaking Pointe and the other books from the First Force Series, Into the Crossfire, and coming soon, Into the Dark, please visit Cindy’s website, www.cindymcwriter.com  Hey! Join Cindy’s newsletter and get the first chapter of Into the Dark delivered directly to your inbox as a thank you!

Book Two of the First Force Series:

First Force operative, Grant Ketchum, let the ballerina of his dreams dance right out of his life. Silja Ramsay returned to Russia, to become the principal dancer for the Novikov Ballet Company.

Natalia Novikov has a dark secret: her ballet company is broke. Natalia forces her dancers to prostitute themselves to financial contributors at exclusive after-show parties. Silja has been kept in the dark about the parties—until an American financier offers to bail the failing ballet company out. His prerequisite: Silja must become his personal companion and fulfill his every desire. Against her will, Silja is taken to the American's mansion, but before she goes she manages to send a text to the only man who can save her, Grant: HELP!

Now Grant is on a mission to rescue his ballerina from this powerful man's subjugation. If they survive, will he let her chasse out of his life again?  

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Excerpt:

Yekaterinburg, Russia:

A crowd had gathered in the reception room in the basement of the Mockba Theatre. The room wasn’t particularly large, yet it was quite elegant with red velvet swags hung in the archways, gilded crown moldings, and crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. A bar was set up in one corner while a violinist played softly in another. 

“It is ridiculous! An outrage! Dominik Potrovic should be included in the auction!” Ivan Belsky bit out in Russian. “A choice, that is what the contributors’ should have! We spend a lot of money at these parties!”

Natalia waved at the bartender for a glass of wine. “I have already explained this to you, Ivan. Dominik is in a relationship with our choreographer, Edvar. He is not available for the auctions.”

“Several of the dancers are married! Yet here they are—to be auctioned as the rest. I understand why Silja Ramsay is not present—she is an American, but there is not excuse for Dominik!”

“I do not understand. You always choose from the box filled with the ballerina’s shoes, not the male dancers. So why do you fuss?”

“I enjoy the girls very much. But Dominik—”

“If you are not happy with our selection of dancers, pull your bid and be on your way.”

Red-faced with frustration, Belsky let out a loud harrumph, and then stalked into the party just as Ballard Crafton rounded the corner.

“Where is Silja?” he asked Natalia as he searched through the party guests. The room was filled with men, a few older women, and most of the dancers from the Novikov Ballet Company. Only one dancer in particular was missing...Silja Ramsay.

“As always, there are plenty of lovely ballerinas here to choose from this evening, Ballard. Forget Silja for now. I will keep working to make her come around.

“No. I am tired of spending time with ballerinas that I don’t want. I only fantasize that she is Silja. I want Silja!” Ballard said. 

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