Showing titles in Performing Arts

Even though her classmates discourage Grace from trying out for Peter Pan in the school play because she is black and a girl, Grace wins the part and proves she can be anything that she wants to be.

Did you know that Lucille Ball could pick up radio signals through her teeth? Or that her career was almost destroyed because she was a registered Communist? Bet you didn’t know that, as a studio executive, she green-lit both Star Trek and Mission: Impossible! Siblings Paige and Turner have collected some of the most unusual and surprising facts about the beloved actress, from her impoverished childhood and her first forays into the film industry to her marriage with Desi Arnaz and her rise to become both the most prominent actress in television and one of its most successful executives.

Seven-year-old Lola Levine is fierce on and off the soccer field. She can do a slide tackle (although she's not supposed to) and even likes gooey worms. Nothing scares Lola! That is, until she's auditioning in front of EVERYONE for her class play. After Lola is overcome with stage fright, she's cast as Squirrel #2, a non-speaking part!

This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great - the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically themselves. Jim Henson, for example, was always dreaming up something new, and always expressing his belief in the goodness of people. Henson was a born performer with a terrific sense of humor, and he used those talents to help create two of the most beloved programs in television history: The Muppet Show and Sesame Street. Through his Muppets, Jim showed the world that there’s nothing more beautiful than imagination.

Brenda Black prides herself on her logical and orderly mind. She studies anatomy books and idolizes Leonardo da Vinci. But things go haywire when her spoiled cousin Tiffany comes to visit. Fed up with Tiffany's bragging, Brenda snaps when Tiffany implies that Brenda is not cultured enough to know who Miss Camilla Freeman is--Miss Camilla Freeman, the very famous prima ballerina. Brenda tells Tiffany that not only does she know who Camilla Freeman is, but she happens to own an autographed pair of her toe shoes.

Although it is debated when and where capoeira—an art form that blends martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality—originated exactly, one thing is certain: in the early 20th century, Brazil was the only country in the world where capoeira was played, and it was mainly practiced by people of African descent. In 1890, two years after Brazil officially abolished slavery, the game was outlawed. Wealthy, lighter-skinned society feared and looked down on capoeira, seeing it as a game for malandros—what people in power called the poor Black communities they disdained.

The Boxcar Children don't want to miss the chance to meet Madlynn Rose, their favorite pop star. But it turns out she is the one who's missing!

In her first picture book since the best-selling and award-winning Firebird, Misty Copeland tells the story of a young Misty discovering her love for dance through the ballet of Coppélia. On her first day of class Misty is absolutely captivated by the narrative of the story and entranced by the dance. Nervous, yet excited, Misty decides to audition for one of the lead roles. As she prepares for the audition and, eventually, the performance, Misty learns to lean on her newfound friends for inspiration and rely on her own can-do spirit to dance her very best.

Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll. But his career was not all glitter and glory. The hip-shaking stardom of the 1950s sank into an embarrassing string of bad movies in the 1960s. Could Elvis kick-start his career and reconnect with his audience? Join him on his ’68 Comeback Special and witness the King rise again.

In Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things, Max Starling proved that he is more than a detective, he’s a Solutioneer. His reputation for problem-solving has been spreading - and now even the mayor wants his help. Someone is breaking windows and setting fires in the old city, but the shopkeepers won’t say a word about the culprits. Why are they keeping these thugs’ secrets? When the mayor begs for help, Max agrees to take the case, putting himself in grave danger. It’s a race to catch up with the vandals before they catch him. Meanwhile, Max is protecting secrets of his own.

Auntie su familia y amigos la conocen como Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso, el mundo se refiere a ella simplemente como Celia Cruz. Trap comenzar su carrera en 1950, Celia se hizo cada vez más popular como la nueva cantante principal de la banda cubana Sonora Matancera. Su exceptional rango vocal y sus llamativos vestuarios hicieron que los fanáticos se enamoraran de ella.

When Kong-sang was a young boy in Hong Kong, he enjoyed practicing martial arts with his dad but hated going to school. He was eventually enrolled in the China Drama Academy, where he improved his martial arts skills and became a stuntman. That training led to a successful career as an actor. Kong-sang, now known as Jackie Chan, never gave up on his passion for screwball physical comedy.

Ballet has never been fancier! Fancy Nancy loves going to ballet class with her best friend, Bree. But when she realizes that her dad and the rest of her family have a lot to learn about ballet, she has a fabulous idea! What if she opened her own ballet school?

Valentine's Day is coming! Posey is so excited about her special ballet recital and giving cards to everyone at school. Then she learns that one of her classmates doesn't have any valentines to give out. Can Princess Posey and her tutu find the perfect way to help?

Millie danced to jazz in her Italian neighborhood. Pedro danced to Latin songs in his Puerto Rican neighborhood. It was the 1940s in New York City, and they were forbidden to dance together…until, first, a band and, then, a ballroom broke the rules. Machito and His Afro-Cubans hit the scene with a brand-new sound, blending jazz trumpets and saxophones with Latin maracas and congas creating Latin jazz: music for the head, the heart, and the hips.

Izzy’s best friend seems to be ditching her for the Queen of Mean, Daphne Toll. Izzy wants to fit in and have some real friends, but all she really has are her drawings. And then her family rents out their house during winter break for some extra cash - and that family’s daughter is sleeping in Izzy’s room and attending the same camp!

Born in New York to Puerto Rican parents, Lin-Manuel Miranda had a passion for the arts and creativity from a young age. He participated in theater as a child and wrote his first Broadway musical, In the Heights, while he was still in college. That show won him his first Tony Award for Best Musical! He went on to create and star in the beloved musical Hamilton about the life of Alexander Hamilton. A nonstop writer, Lin-Manuel contributed music for other major projects such as Moana, Encanto, Star Wars, and The Little Mermaid.

When Bruce and his sister, Andi, find out about a dog-themed filmmaking contest, they can't wait to enter. But making the movie is just the beginning - before they know it, Hollywood calls!

Thirteen-year-old Nikhil Shah is the beloved voice actor for Raj Reddy on the hit animated series Raj Reddy in Outer Space. But when his mom temporarily moves them to the small town in Ohio where she grew up to take care of Nikhil’s sick grandfather, Nikhil feels as out of orbit as his character. Nikhil’s fame lands him the lead in the school musical, but he’s terrified that everyone will realize he’s a fraud once they find out he has stage fright.

Discover how the "little girl with the big voice" transitioned from vaudeville to movie stardom and landed the role of a lifetime. The world fell in love with her as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, the 1939 MGM classic, one of the most beloved films of all time. She went on to become one of the greatest entertainers in show business history. This is her story.