Edgar Degas (1834-1917) first became interested in ballet in the 1860s and he spent years studying the delicate movements and crystalline precision of ballerinas. His paintings were praised not only for their astonishing detail and emotion, but also for their meticulous depictions of ballet poses and dance steps. Some of his most famous paintings and sketches are reproduced here to the delight of children and aspiring dancers. AUTHOR: Angela Wenzel is the author of Gustav Klimt: Silver, Gold and Precious Stones and Rene Magritte: Now You See It-Now You Don't. She lives in Drensteinfurt, Germany. Illustrations throughout.