Look at this bronze sculpture from all angles. Have you or has anyone you know studied ballet? This young dancer's feet are in the fourth position. It's not as easy as it looks, especially the turned out right leg. The young ballerina leans backwards, stretching. The ballet skirt or tutu is made of lightweight cloth. Look closely at her slippers, the bronze is colored pink. What color is the top of her dress? Light yellow. She also wears a light blue ribbon in her hair.

Originally, the French artist, Edgar Degas, made the sculpture out of pink wax and dressed it in a real dance costume. Viewers were amazed at how real it looked. Degas based the sculpture on a 14-year-old girl named Marie van Goethem, who studied ballet at the Paris Opera. Degas often came to Marie's class to make sketches of her rehearsing. Degas made many paintings and sculptures of the ballet. How many ballet dancers can you find in the galleries nearby?