Meet the Author
Rachel Epps
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Rachel grew up in the studio. She trained under J. Patrick McCann and Barry Thomas at Atlanta Dance Works, then with Maria D'Antonio at Brookwood High School. She attended the College of Charleston where she received a BA in religious studies and a minor in dance. After college, she taught and managed Once Upon a Ballet in Charleston, SC, sharing her love of all things dance with her students! After moving to Spartanburg, SC, she began Once Upon a Ballet in Spartanburg in 2018. Rachel and husband, Steven, have three daughters: Millie, Mollie, and Marlee.
The moment a child opens the pages of Ballerinas Abroad! An Introduction to the History of Ballet,by author and ballet teacher, Rachel Epps, she is immediately transported through time and space to the historical beginnings of this beautiful dance. Through a portal in the dressing nook of the ballet studio, dance teacher, Miss Sara takes her students on a magical journey they will never forget. 

Girls and boys alike, ages 5 and older will be fascinated by the relatable characters in this one-of-a-kind book which takes them through the European countries where ballet was born: Italy, France and Russia. Readers begin in Italy at the court of Catherine de Medici and French Duke Henri d’Orléans where the roots of ballet began. Next, they journey to the Palace of Versailles in France where one of the first ballets was performed. Then they land in Russia, where many of today’s most famous ballets were first staged including Swan Lake in 1877 in Moscow. Along the way, the children also visit London and New York, learning about famous ballerinas as well as the glorious theaters they performed in.  The first in a series, this book can be read as just a story for the younger audience and as a sort of encyclopedia for older readers, complete with an appendix, full of interesting information.
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