The Best Ballet Books I Read in 2025: Fiction, Memoirs & Bunhead Book Club Favorites

In 2025, I read some truly incredible ballet books spanning fiction, memoirs, biographies, and educational reads. Many of these were read alongside my Instagram-based book club, The Bunhead Book Club, where we spent time savoring & discussing these ballet books together. (Shameless plug: A new session starts in January and we'd love to have you — email me at thebusybunhead@gmail.com for more details!) 😄

Each of these books made me feel inspired, understood, challenged, and more deeply connected to ballet, especially as an adult dancer. I hope this gives you some ideas to put on your book list for 2026!

Please note: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which, if used, allow me to make a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Ballet Fiction That Feels Like Home

Let’s start with two works of ballet fiction that felt incredibly special to me — Cantique and La Follia by Joanna Marsh, who is also an adult dancer herself!

These novels are a two-part series, set in the American Midwest and following an adult ballet dancer named Colette as she navigates taking classes, building friendships, falling in love, and eventually (in the second book) performing for the first time. These stories felt deeply relatable in a way that only someone who truly understands the adult ballet experience could write.

What I loved most was Joanna’s attention to detail: the emotional nuances of learning ballet later in life, the vulnerability of wishing you were better, and the joy that comes from showing up anyway.

If you’re looking for an escape from the stress of everyday life into a cozy world of adult ballet, these two books are must-reads.🩰

Ballet History, Sisterhood & Legacy

The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby was one of the most moving books I read this year.

Centered on the founding members of Dance Theatre of Harlem, this book explores what ballet meant to these women across decades of their lives. It made me laugh, cry, and reflect on ballet history in America. It was an insightful look at the leadership of Arthur Mitchell, his relationship with George Balanchine, and the immense challenges of founding an all-Black ballet company.

This book is education, emotional, and incredibly important. If you’re building a ballet reading list for 2026, this should be on it.

Understanding Your Body in Ballet

If you’ve ever wished you had more time in class to understand what’s actually happening in your body, Inside Ballet Technique: Separating Anatomical Fact from Fiction in the Ballet Class by Valerie Grieg is an invaluable resource.

Although I’m only about halfway through this book, it has already profoundly impacted how I think about my dancing. Ballet class isn’t always the place where deep anatomical explanations can happen — whether due to time constraints or the teacher's own level of anatomical understanding — and this book beautifully fills that gap.

Yes, it’s more scientific, with charts and diagrams, but it’s very accessible. I don’t have a medical or science background, and I found the information clear, engaging, and immediately applicable. It’s helped me better understand engagement, alignment, and what I should actually be feeling during different steps.

This is a great companion for adult dancers who want to deepen their understanding of their own body and how to apply cues and corrections. 📝

Behind the Curtain of Russian Ballet

Behind the Red Velvet Curtain by Joy Womack, as told to Elizabeth Shulman, sparked some of the most lively conversations in The Bunhead Book Club.

Joy Womack was one of the first American ballerinas to train at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy and later became the first American to sign a contract with the Bolshoi Ballet Theatre. Her story offers a rare look into what it’s truly like to train and work in Russia as an outsider.

From navigating cultural differences to overcoming language barriers, Behind the Red Velvet Curtain feels exactly like its title suggests — a revealing look behind one of the most mysterious institutions in the ballet world.

If you’re fascinated by Russian ballet, the Bolshoi, the Vaganova, the Mariinsky, or the realities behind these elite training systems, this book is absolutely worth your time.

An Icon of American Ballet

Suzanne Farrell is an icon of American ballet, and Holding On to the Air by Suzanne Farrell and Toni Bentley offers a fascinating glimpse into her life, career, and time as one of George Balanchine’s muses at New York City Ballet.

Through Suzanne’s story, I learned so much about Balanchine’s creative process, company dynamics, and ballet history in the United States. Her experiences and narrative voice pose an interesting contrast to Gelsey Kirkland's famous autobiography, Dancing on My Grave.

One of my favorite things to do while reading this book is to pair it with YouTube footage — many of the ballets discussed are available to watch, as well as interviews with Suzanne, which made the reading experience even richer.

This book is an excellent choice for adult dancers who want to learn more about the experiences and internal life of an incredible female artist, and the history of New York City Ballet.

A Love Letter to The Nutcracker

I’m currently reading Raising the Barre: Big Dreams, False Starts, and My Midlife Quest to Dance The Nutcracker (by Lauren Kessler) with the book club, and even halfway through, I can confidently say this is a book most adult dancers will enjoy and relate to.😄

Lauren Kessler, a journalist and lifelong Nutcracker lover, decides to pursue a dream of dancing in the ballet as an adult — training, rehearsing, and eventually performing with her local company. The book is honest, funny, and incredibly relatable, from navigating adult ballet classes to the vulnerability of trying to find a leotard the fits.

It’s a love letter to The Nutcracker, to trying something brave later in life, and to showing up even when it scares the heck out of you. A perfect read during the holiday season. 🎄

Why Ballet Books Matter (Especially for Adult Dancers)

Reading ballet books has become one of my favorite supplements to studio training. They help me feel inspired, connected to ballet’s history, and less alone in my own journey as an adult dancer. Reading is an opportunity to connect more deeply with ballet and fellow dancers, and to expand my belief in what's possible — for my training, my body, my artistry and the future of the art form. ✨

If you love reading and want to join a group of like-minded adult dancers, The Bunhead Book Club is always welcoming new members. We read together, chat throughout the month, and meet at the end to discuss via Zoom — all with warmth, curiosity, and kindness.🤓

DM me on Instagram @thebusybunhead or email me at thebusybunhead@gmail.com if you’d like to join us. Until then, happy reading!

xx, Hannah

PS You can also listen the full podcast episode on this topic below!