I was beyond ecstatic to receive this follow-up collection to Dancers Among Us by the talented photographer and YouTube star Jordan Matter, featuring gorgeous color photographs of well-known dancers as well as stars-in-the-making, ages 2 through 18. Dance is storytelling and a language; it is a means of expressing emotions, both powerful and beautiful. Dance requires you to build your problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Dance is multicultural. It transcends boundaries; it creates and connects friends” From Jordan Matter, YouTube star and New York Times–bestselling author of Dancers Among Us, a celebration of what it means to be young and full of possibility, featuring gorgeous photographs of well-known dancers (including Tate McRae and Sofie Dossi) as well as stars in the making.

Eleanor Powell was without a doubt the premier tap-dancing film star of all time. Her legendary performances graced such MGM motion pictures as Born to Dance and Rosalie, and her 'Begin the Beguine' number with Fred Astaire in Broadway Melody of 1940 will never be duplicated.... Powell has long deserved a good biography. Her life and career should never be forgottenThe book is a thorough examination of Eleanor and her life, from growing up with a single mother, to her work on Broadway, and then her relatively short 8-year career at MGM. Also covered is her personal life and several aborted engagements to a couple of men before her heart was thoroughly taken by up-and-coming actor Glenn Ford. Eleanor firmly believed she could not balance a career and raising a child, so when her son Peter was born, she effectively retired from film. She ended up taking a show on the road and appearing independently in a few films and even a Vegas show over the next 15 years to help pay the bills, all while Ford was cheating on her with his leading ladies. It is rare that people now writing biographies of the movie stars of Hollywood’s ‘golden age’ actually knew their subject. The fact that both authors knew Miss Powell adds much to the narrative. You can sense that they loved, respected and admired her and did their utmost to convey her dedication to her art, family, friends, fans and faith. Their Eleanor Powell is a real person who had many joys and some sorrows in her life. After reading the book, I feel that I know her as a person and not as an image on the silver screen…. And the last sentence of the book brought tears to my eyes. FINALLY--a well-researched, definitive biography of legendary dancer Eleanor Powell!! There have been a couple of books written about Miss Powell, but neither was an in-depth biography. Myriad books about Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and many other well-known and lesser-known actors/actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age exist. Now, thanks to exhaustive research, personal recollections of Miss Powell, and the obvious love the authors have for her, we have this amazing, long overdue book that is a treasure trove of information for fans, old movie buffs, dance aficionados, and Hollywood historians. This book is a loving and faithful tribute to one of Hollywood's great dance icons. Well-written and thoroughly researched, it will be indispensable for anyone interested in Eleanor Powell and the art of tap. With Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance, authors Paula Broussard and Lisa Royère pay an overdue tribute to one of Hollywood's most mesmerizing dancers with this engaging and detailed biography. Despite Royère's personal connection to Powell, the book presents an objective and balanced portrait of an entertainer who reluctantly traded in her pointe shoes for tap and made film history.

Ms. Powell's and Mr. Ford's son Peter Ford wrote an excellent biography of Glenn Ford, and it is recommended as a companion piece to "Born to Dance." It is even-handed concerning Glenn Ford's choices made. I believe a documentary film about the Fords was made in the past, but I have not seen it to date. This book beautifully captures young dancers on and off stage. Everyday life seems inseparable from a dancer’s heart/body connection. Each young person featured here told the photographer that they were born to dance. Dance had chosen them.

First and foremost, I have to highlight the theme of the book, centering around "a celebration of what it means to be young and full of possibility and to live life joyfully." It was all captured so beautifully through the many selected titles, including: "play with me," "when I grow up," "oops," "do they like me?" and more.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and University Press; I am leaving this review voluntarily.Jordan Matter is known to millions for his 10 Minute Photo Challenge YouTube videos. Now, in one dazzling photograph after another, he portrays dancers—ages 2 through 18—in ordinary and extraordinary pursuits, from hanging with friends to taking selfies, from leaping for joy to feeling left out. The subjects include TV and internet stars like Chloé Lukasiak, Kalani Hilliker, Nia Sioux, and Kendall Vertes, as well as boys and girls from around the neighborhood. What they all share is the skill to elevate their hopes and dreams with beauty, humor, grace, and surprise. Paired with empowering words from the dancers themselves, the photographs convey each child’s declaration that they were born to dance. The actress, who went toe-to-toe with Fred Astaire as a dancer during Hollywood's golden era, is the subject of a new book, "Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance," which puts a spotlight on her life and career. Authors Paula Broussard and Lisa Royère, who began their research in the '70s, spoke to numerous sources who knew and worked with Powell, as well as Powell herself.

Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance is a vital book. Paula Broussard and Lisa Royère have crafted a thoughtful biography about an important figure in film history that deserves this recognition. Their decades of hard work and thorough research is evident, as is their love for Eleanor Powell. A highly enjoyable read that gives this remarkable woman her long-awaited due, and will no doubt encourage new fans to discover her work.

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From Jordan Matter, YouTube star and New York Times– bestselling author of Dancers Among Us , a celebration of what it means to be young and full of possibility, featuring gorgeous photographs of well-known dancers (including Tate McRae and Sofie Dossi) as well as stars in the making. Bonus Features: Scan the QR code next to dozens of photos and watch behind-the-scenes videos documenting the shoots. Sydney Ladensohn Stern, author of The Brothers Mankiewicz: Hope, Heartbreak, and Hollywood Classics Fans of the Hollywood musical–rejoice. There is finally a new biography about the great Eleanor Powell, one of classic Hollywood's most notable dancers. Paula Broussard and Lisa Royère have filled a significant gap in classic Hollywood literature by telling Powell's story. Eleanor Powell: Born to Dance is exceptionally thorough, impressively researched, and beautifully told. It is easily the best resource documenting her life and career.