Reverence

The book tells the tale of a seven-year-old girl who starts to study ballet and dreams of reaching her goal as prima ballerina. She studied at the San Francisco Ballet and is encouraged to dance. She started in the opera when they needed a small elf to go on stage where Salvatore Baccaloni was sleeping under a tree, with this small elf poking him in the opera Falstaff. The blue lights were enchanting, and every minute was sheer heaven. This was the beginning of a profession that demands total dedication and love. It is fi lled with anecdotes, laughter, and tears. In writing this book, the author describes what goes on in a company that tours and dances every night on different stages. The author lives in San Francisco with her husband, John R. Upton Jr, as well as in the Napa Valley where John and his brother pioneered Three Palms Vineyard, once the site of Lillie Hitchcock Coit's Napa Valley home.

JANET SASSOON has had two careers, fi rst as a ballerina with an international reputation and now as a classical dance teacher and coach in international demand. At age seven, Miss Sassoon began her training with the San Francisco Ballet. By age ten, Miss Sassoon was performing in roles with the San Francisco Opera and Ballet companies. At fi fteen, she moved to Paris to continue her studies with Leo Staats, Lubov Egorova, Olga Preobrajenska, and Mathilde Kschessinska. Miss Sassoon joined the internationally renowned Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas as one of its youngest soloists. Returning to America, she danced in guest appearances with the Chicago and Utah Ballets as well with the San Francisco Ballet. She joined the Berlin Ballet as prima ballerina touring Europe with the company. Miss Sassoon earned a reputation as one of Europe's leading dramatic ballerinas. She also toured with the company throughout Europe, South America, and Japan