Strictly Come Dancing, the show that inspired the Dancing with the Stars franchise, returns this Autumn with new hosts, new dancers, and of course, new celebrities. So, while you wait for the dancefloor to be set and the music to play, why not enjoy a novel that will dance through your imagination. From Ballroom and ballet to Latin and voguing, For Reading Addicts presents a reading list inspired by the diversity of dancing styles.
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Slow Burn by Oti Mabuse
Written by former Strictly Coming Dancing pro-dancer, Oti Mabuse’s Slow Burn is a sizzling début that promises to sweep readers off their feet with its Latin passion. Lira’s dreams of Latin Ballroom fame were cut short at the age of 19 but her ambitious flame has not quite flickered out yet. Still chasing that thrill, she secretly auditions for Slow Burn, a new dance show, where she comes face to face with a connection from her past. The chiselled dancer Gabriele lands the principal lead male role on the show. The only thing he’s missing is his female co-star.
Midnight in Everwood by M.A. Kuzniar
Written by a former ballet dancer, Midnight in Everwood in the darkly enchanting fantasy novel inspired by The Nutcracker. This stunning retelling of the festive classic sees Marietta transported to the frozen sugarland of Everwood where she’s twirled into its deep and chilling magic.
One Enchanted Evening by Anton Du Beke
This Sunday Times bestselling début is penned by ballroom dancer and Strictly Come Dancing judge, Anton Du Beke. A glamorous novel centring the sophisticated world of ballroom, One Enchanted Evening is set in London 1936 with war approaching. Inside the Buckingham Hotel’s film stars, royalty, and the powerful mingle while Raymond de Guise and his troupe of talented dancers must entertain. Nancy Nettleton, a new chambermaid at the Buckingham, struggles with life outside her small hometown. She dreams of joining the dancers on the ballroom floor as she watches from hidden corners. Soon, she learns that guests and staff alike hold intriguing secrets.
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Swing Time by Zadie Smith
Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2017, Zadie Smith’s acclaimed Swing Time is the story of two Black girls dreaming for being dancers; only one has talent though. While the other views dance through a different lens, of rhythm, Black bodies and Black music, what is means to belong, and what it means to be free.
The Restless Girls by Jessie Burton
A feminist fairytale, The Restless Girls is a retelling of The Twelve Dancing Princess. Filled with stunning illustrations by Angela Barrett, this tale of sister, freedom, and the joy and escapism of dancing, Jessie Burton’s Restless Girls is a great read for children and adults alike.
The House of Impossible Beauties
A fictional début inspired by the House of Xtravaganza, famously immortalised in Paris Is Burning, Joseph Cassara’s writing takes readers to New York City during the 80s. Exploring the Harlem ball scene, The House of Impossible Beauties depicts voguing and other ballroom categories in the gritty and gorgeous subculture, driven my LGBTQ+ lives.
Save the Waltz for Me by Zelda Fitzgerald
The first and only novel published by Zelda Fitzgerald, Save the Waltz for Me is a work that draws parallels to her husband F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life, shining a fascinating light on his work too, as well as the couple’s shard experiences. Centring a glamour girl of the 1920s, Save the Waltz for Me is the tale of an aspiring ballet dancer.
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