Bullied ballet boy inspires dance teacher’s new book

A former dance teacher haunted by a little boy who stopped coming to her classes because of taunts has written a modern day Ballet Shoes for boys.

Following in the footsteps of Noel Streatfeild’s classic children’s book, Celia Purcell, 63, of Kilburn, has written her debut novel, Jonathan’s Leap, inspired by the young dancer she taught 25 years ago.

Mrs Purcell said: “It was a class of kids — they couldn’t have been more than eight or nine. It was all girls. And in comes this little boy. He was teased really dreadfully by his sister and a lot of the little girls.

“But I fell in love with him. He came up to me one day and said, ‘Ballet is brilliant.’

“A few weeks later he suddenly didn’t come any more. I was very upset — but it was the seed of the story.”

Mrs Purcell, who now runs an art gallery, has made her protagonist a 12-year-old boy who lacks confidence but has a teacher who can see his talent. She said she hoped the book would encourage boys who love dancing to follow their dreams.

Jonathan’s Leap will be published on May 22 by Hulton Books.