Tag Archives: Ballet

Destiny Calls Rosita

Plot

Rosita, a gypsy girl, is a pupil at Priory Ballet School. Signora Barelli hates Rosita for some reason and is trying to get rid of her. But Rosita’s grandmother is on hand when needed, and Rosita is also getting help from her grandmother’s special powder, which enables one to see visions in smoke when the powder is thrown into fire. One such vision gives a clue as to why Signora Barelli hates Rosita.

destiny calls rosita

Notes

  • Art: Candido Ruiz Pueyo
  • Episodes from #926 – 938, and #944-961, translated into Dutch (as “Mariska”) – Debbie super stripstory #1 (1976).

Appeared

  • Destiny Calls Rosita–  Bunty: # 926 (11 October 1975) – #961 (12 June 1976)

Dorinda from the Deep

Plot:

Kelly Mann, a sculpturer, takes on the job of sculpting a statue of a ballerina, Dorinda, for the new ballet theatre. She is unsure as to whether she is up to the job and is having trouble finding the purest white stone required. Then, after a strange storm, Kelly finds such a piece of stone on the beach. When she starts work, she is surprised to find the statue is beginning to shape all by itself.

Dorinda

Notes:

Appeared:

  • Dorinda from the Deep –  Bunty: #858, 22 June 1974 – (?)

Born to Dance!

Plot

Catherine Collins’ grandmother forbids her to pursue ballet because she blames ballet for the death of Catherine’s mother – despite the fact that gran herself is running a ballet academy! Catherine turns to practising ballet in secret at the academy.

born to dance

Notes

  • Artist: Eduardo Feito
  • Translated into Dutch (as “Balletgeheim” – Ballet Secret) and published in weekly Tina #5/1996-16/1996.

Appeared

  • Born to Dance! –  Bunty:  #1936 (18 February 1995) – #1947 (6 May 1995)

Sonya and the Silver Shoes / Cindy and the Crystal Shoes / The Secret Ballerina

Plot

Sonya Reeves (Cindy Reeves in the reprints), a very talented young ballet dancer, was competing in secret for the Silver Shoes Trophy (or Crystal Shoes Trophy in the reprints) and the chance of a scholarship to a famous ballet school. Sonya/Cindy was an orphan and her guardian, Vi Burke, ill -treated her and had forbidden her to dance. But Sonya/Cindy had been helped by Mrs Webster, a friendly neighbour, and also the Sister at the hospital where Mrs Webster was taken after a fall. After overcoming many difficulties, Sonya/Cindy had reached the final of the contest.

cindy and crystal shoes

Notes

  • Art: Leslie Otway
  • 1980 reprint “The Secret Ballerina” reprinted and translated into Dutch (as De geheime ballerina) –  monthly Peggy #9/1981, then reprinted again in Peggy + plus #3 (early 1980s).

Appeared

  • Sonya and the Silver Shoes – Mandy: #87 (14 September 1968) – #101 (21 December 1968)
  • Reprinted as Cindy and the Crystal Shoes – Mandy:  #464 (6 December 1975) – #478 (13 March 1976)
  • Reprinted as The Secret Ballerina – Mandy: #724 (29 November 1980) – #738 (7 March 1981)

Before I Sleep

Plot

Clarrie Green had been abandoned  on the steps of an orphanage by her mother, who had never returned to claim her. When Lady Cathcart visited the orphanage. Clarrie realised that she bore a strong resemblance to the picture of Clarrie’s own mother, which she had in a locket. Clarrie, ill and realising she had only a short time to live, managed to get herself taken into Lady Cathcart’s household as a kitchen maid.

before-i-sleep

Notes

  • Artist: Don Walker

Appeared

  • Before I Sleep –  Judy and Tracy:  #1422 (11 April 1987) – #1433 (27 June 1987)

Polly of the Paladin

Plot:

Polly Patten, daughter of the housekeeper at the Paladin School of Dramatic Arts, was being given secret lessons by Yolanda Danvers, the star pupil at the school. Yolanda was trying to ruin Polly’s considerable talent in case she won a grant and became a rival. After Yolanda had a slight accident, she unwittingly revealed her plan to Polly.

polly-at-the-paladin

Notes:

Appeared:

  • Polly of the Paladin –  Judy and Tracy:  #1422 (11 April 1987) – #1431 (13 June 1987)

Debbie Must Dance Again!

Plot:

Orphan Debbie Tate and  her young brother, Peter, were being looked after by their greedy Aunt Betty and Uncle Joe. Hoping to claim compensation money for Debbie’s car accident injuries, they forced her to pretend she was a helpless cripple. However, Debbie had once taken ballet lessons and was able to resume her dancing in secret. After a Ballet Festival, in which Debbie had danced using the name Karen Foster, a ballet teacher called Felicity Dale showed an interest in her. Debbie was going to meet Felicity when she discovered that Peter had run away. During her anxious search for him, she realised that Felicity’s train had left.

debbie must dance

Notes:

  • Writer: Maureen Hartley
  • Art: Ana Rodriguez
  • Reprinted and translated into Dutch as Katja leert weer dansen  (Kathy Is Learning to Dance Again) – monthly Peggy #7/1983, then reprinted again in Peggy + plus #8 (mid 1980s).

Appeared:

  • Debbie Must Dance Again! –  Judy:  #1178 (07 August 1982) – #1193 (20 November 1982)

Madame Marlova Remembers / The Dancing Days of Lisa Marlova

Plot

Each week Madame Marlova tells a tale from the world of ballet. Many of them are stories of inspiration and courage for aspiring ballerinas in Madame Marlova’s class, while others teach morals, such as leaving nothing to chance because it can be too risky. Some have a more unusual take, such as one story about gruelling dancing marathons in the days of the Great Depression.

Marlova

In a sequel The Dancing Days of Lisa Marlova,   Madame Marlova has retired and settles down to writing her memoirs. Now the story of how she became a top ballerina is told in full.

Marlova

Notes

  • Each of the Madame Marlova Remembers stories had individual titles.
  • Madame Marlova Remembers  – art by George Martin with some fill-in artists.
  • The Dancing Days of Lisa Marlova was drawn by Tom Hurst
  • Stories written by Marion Turner (under the pen name Fiona Turner) listed below, it may be that script name changed when it was actually published as some of the names don’t match up:
    • 1. Dance, Cinderella, Dance
      2. The Swan Queen
      3. The House of Dolls
      4. The Road to Fame and Fortune
      5. The Perfect Ballerina
      6. Interlude In Paris
      7. The Girl Who Stole The Limelight
      8. Put That Light Out!
      9. The Gypsy Dancer
      10. The Black Diamond
      11. The Magic Balloon
      12. Born to Dance
  • “The Dance of the Butterfly”(Debbie #200) reprinted and translated into Dutch – Debbie Super Stripstory #18 (1987).
  • “The Girl That Grew Too Tall”  ((Debbie #195) reprinted and translated into Dutch – Debbie Super Stripstory #18 (1987).
  • “The Cat That Came to Dance” reprinted and translated into Dutch as “Het witte katje” (“The White Kitten”) – Debbie Super Stripstory #18 (1987).
  • “Clumsy Clara” (Debbie #199) reprinted and translated into Dutch as “Arme onhandige Freda” (“Poor Clumsy Freda”)  – Debbie Super Stripstory #18 (1987).
  • “The Dance of Life” (Debbie #201) reprinted and translated (without title) into Dutch – Peggy #4/1983. “The Dance of Life” was again reprinted in Dutch in Peggy + plus #8 (mid 1980s).
  • “The Dancing Days of Lisa Marlova” reprinted and translated into Dutch (as “Lisa Marlova”) – Debbie #28 (1982).
  • “The Dance of Death” (Debbie #198) reprinted and translated into Dutch (as “Madame Marlova vertelt…”) – Debbie #35 (1983).
  • “The Misery Marathon” (Debbie: #196) Reprinted and translated into Dutch as “De dansmarathon” (“The Dancing Marathon”) – Peggy + plus #11 (1983).
  • “The Bird of Paradise” (Debie #204) reprinted and translated into Dutch (as “De paradijsvogel”) – Debbie #40 (1984).

Appeared

  • Madame Marlova Remembers  –  Debbie: #186 (4 September 1976) – #211 (26 February 1977)
  • Madame Marlova Remembers  –  Debbie: #255 (31 December 1977)
  • The Dancing Days Of Lisa Marlova  – Debbie: #376 (26 April 1980) – #387 (12 July 1980)

Other Appearances:

  • The Boy Who Loved Ballet – Debbie Annual 1982 [Art: Tom Hurst]
  • She Danced in Dockland – Debbie Annual 1983 [Art: George Martin]
  • A Girl Like Betsy… – Debbie Annual 1984 [Art: George Martin]

List of Stories

  • Madame Marlova Remembers  – Debbie: #186
  • The Dance of the Doll  – Debbie: #187
  • The Lonely Little Dancer – Debbie: #188
  • Stage Door Johnny – Debbie: #189
  • The Disappearing Dancer – Debbie: #190
  • The Terrible Twins – Debbie: #191
  • The Wheelchair Ballerina – Debbie: #192
  • The Old Music Maker – Debbie: #193
  • The Dance of the Dying Swan – Debbie: #194
  • The Girl Who Grew Too Tall – Debbie: #195
  • The Misery Marathon – Debbie: #196
  • The Dance of the Goddess – Debbie: #197
  • The Dance of Death – Debbie: #198
  • Clumsy Clara – Debbie: #199
  • The Dance of the Butterfly – Debbie: #200
  • The Dance of Life – Debbie: #201
  • A Dream Come True – Debbie: #202
  • The Cat That Came to Dance – Debbie: #203
  • The Bird of Paradise – Debbie: #204
  • The Shadow Dance – Debbie: #205
  • The Tigress – Debbie: #206
  • The Dancing Doll – Debbie: #207
  • The Animal Lover – Debbie: #208
  • Journey of No Return – Debbie: #209
  • Hetty’s Hidden Happiness – Debbie: #210
  • Who’s Afraid? – Debbie: #211
  • The Snowflake Ballet – Debbie: #255

Graceful Gloria

Plot

Gloria Delman gives up ballet school to become a champion gymnast.

Gloria

Notes

  • Artist: Tony Thewenetti
  • Reprinted and translated into Dutch (as “Gloria naar de top” – Gloria to the Top) – Debbie Stripstory #11/1981.

Appeared

  • Graceful Gloria –  Debbie: #33 (29 September 1973) – #52 (9 February 1974)
  • Reprinted – Debbie: #414 (17 January 1981) – #432 (23 May 1981)

Sonia’s Secret [1978]

Plot:

Sonia Rostova is the prima ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet, which is on tour through Russia. Throughout the tour, Sonia has to hide Pavel, who is being pursued by Boris Shepin of the secret police for a crime he did not commit. And Shepin has infiltrated the ballet troupe by becoming director.

Sonia

Notes:

  • Artist: Don Walker

Appeared:

  • Sonia’s Secret – Judy: #978 (07 October 1978) – #989 (23 December 1978)