Dance gift guide 2008

Out of the box
It may be an abandoned icon of many girlhoods, but a ballerina music box can be a thing of sweet nostalgia, pure magic or sheer hilarity. It all depends on whom you give it to and what you think should go in it. Open the lid, and this adorable version by Posh plays a theme from Swan Lake while the three-inch ballerina twirls. Available at chicagodancesupply.com; $20.

Backstage pass
The staff at Russian Pointe Boutique recommendsed these titles for those who’d like a peek behind the scenes of top ballet companies:. In the DVD Etoiles, filmmaker Nils Tavernier reveals the emotional and physical struggles of dancers and the legacy behind dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet dancers who earn the formal title etoile (star). The book In The Wings includes New York City Ballet dancer Kyle Froman’s day-to-day journal, from class to performance. The color and black-and-white photographs offer a glimpses into a special world that outsiders rarely see. Available at russianpointe.com; DVD is $24.95, book is $35.

It’s shoe time!
What do you do with your sweaty footwear when you’re done practicing your torso isolations and high kicks? If you’re like us, you stuff those stinky things in a bag with your hairbrush. But not anymore: The Dancer’s Back Pack by Gaynor Minden features an airy atrium on top where you can keep your gear high and dry. Available at chicagodancesupply.com; $45.

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