Dancing in the Dark

by Robyn Bavati

[Joséphine]

I must admit, it was difficult to get into the book because Bavati chose to adopt Jewish/ Hebrew terms wherever possible. She did preempt readers however, including a letter of sorts at the beginning, noting that she hoped to capture the authenticity in this manner. For those who are unfamiliar with those terms, she included a glossary at the back, though in many cases she also integrated their meanings into her writings, which was definitely helpful. Linguistic barriers out of the way, I loved this book. Despite the religious overtones,it also was about pursuing one’s passion, and how ambition tends to come at a cost.

We’re faced with choices everyday but for Ditty, the choices that she faces are far more complicated. When she first discovers ballet, she knows this is what she wants to do. When her parents forbid it because they think it has no place in the life of a Jew, she goes behind their backs and does it anyway. Her conscience betrays her though on several occasions. She struggles with whether HaShem would truly not want her to dance or if dance perhaps is His greater calling for her. From there she asks herself every so often if she should continue dance or should she give it up?

Ditty’s desperations seep through the pages without being overdone. There is no incessant whining or constant feelings of sorriness. I appreciated that. Instead Bavati focussed on telling Ditty’s story, from how she gets into ballet and what it comes to mean to her over time. At the same time, she also explored how strange the world must be through Ditty’s eyes. Ditty after all has been sheltered all the while, attending a Haredi school, interacting only with Jews, being largely confined to her own community. I enjoyed reading how she came to navigate the unknown. It just reminded me that there is so much that we take for granted, so seeing things from her perspective gave a lot to think about.

What I took away from this book is the reminder that the freedom of choice is a privilege that should not be taken lightly.

Fuller review here.