Book Title:  Dance of the Earth

Series:  N/a

Author Name: Anna M Holmes

Publication Date: 28 October 2025

Publisher: The Book Guild

Pages: 456

Genre: Historical Fiction

Any Triggers: war injury

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Book Title & Author:

Dance of the Earth

by Anna M Holmes

Blurb:

From world stages to theatres of war, Dance of the Earth is a sweeping family saga.

Set against the backdrops of London’s gilded Alhambra music hall, Diaghilev’s dazzling Ballets Russes, and the upheavals of the First World War, Rose and her children, Nina and Walter, pursue their ambitions, loves, and dreams. Dance and music shape their identities, helping each to find their place in the world.

Spanning the years 1875 to 1921—an era of profound artistic and social change—fact and fiction interweave in this tapestry of birth, sacrifice, and renewal. Art—both serious and comic—is at the story’s beating heart.

EXTRACT 2:

DANCE OF THE EARTH.  ACT 1.

Rose is a front row dancer at the Alhambra Theatre.

Brandishing a folded copy of The Globe, Rose burst into her dressing room. ‘Look at this, will you!’

Tousled heads looked up – yawning girls preparing for class – then they clustered around. She pointed to the entertainment column’s description of Don Quixote. ‘And here he writes, “The ever-popular Miss Rose Banbury…” Hear that? My first mention!’ It was thrilling seeing her name in a newspaper. Promotion on the bill was only a matter of time.

‘He must’ve enjoyed your little turn as a lady of Spain,’ said Ivy.

‘Or your legs,’ came an envious voice.

‘Now, now.’ Evelyn raised a hand. ‘That’s lovely, Rose, happy for you. I know you want to get on. Me, I’m thinking of getting out.’

‘Out?’ Rose was startled. ‘But you love dancing.’

‘I’m fed up with the nights. Regular hours would be nice – selling hats or gloves. A department store, I’m thinking.’

Conversation turned to Evelyn’s potential departure while Rose searched for her scissors. She’d clip out the article for Molly to add to the scrapbook.

It wasn’t just The Globe reviewer noticing her. Across Mr Jacobi’s raised baton – their musical director looking immaculate in his dress suit, moustache and beard well-clipped – Rose spotted a man in a three-pound front row seat, top hat perched on lap, who seemed to enjoy looking at her. She began to look out for him.

It was early December, she’d just turned eighteen, when she saw him waiting outside, standing apart from other stage-door Johnnies. Poised, leaning on a cane, he ignored girls who’d paused to call saucily, ‘You waitin’ for me, darlin’? ‘I’m ready for a drink if you are.’

He caught her eye, tipping his silk top hat. He was tall, and not bad looking, if he did have a rather narrow face and longish nose. Despite the chilly evening his knee-length frock coat was open revealing a very nice silk cravat and pin at his throat and an equally nice double-breasted waistcoat. Rose’s eyes travelled down his length, taking in tailored striped trousers ending with polished shoes. She knew a thing or two about fashion and the cut of cloth, and this gentleman with a waxed moustache looked just the ticket, and he was looking at her.

‘Good evening, Miss,’ he said. ‘I enjoyed the show enormously, and your contribution to it.’

Rose was a quick learner: well-spoken, well dressed, ten or so years her senior.

‘You noticed me then?’ She postured, chin tilted, hip angled.

‘You shine across the footlights. I am only surprised you have not yet been promoted. A girl such as you…’ A kid-leather gloved hand waved vaguely.

She glanced at Ivy who raised an eyebrow in a “are-you-coming-or-not?” way, but the gentleman was in no rush to leave. Neither was she.

‘Arthur Roberts,’ he offered. ‘May I call tomorrow evening?’ There’s a club we might—’

‘We?’ Ivy chipped in. ‘Rose and me stick together.’

‘Delighted. I have discovered Miss Banbury’s name—’

‘Oh, have you!’ Rose looked at him under her lashes.

‘…and yours is…? He smiled effortlessly at Ivy and Rose noticed his teeth weren’t snaggly. This gentleman, with a lovely warm voice, was entirely presentable and passed muster at the first hurdle.

She angled her hat and smiled. ‘A club, did you say?’

The following night, the show went well. From the wings she watched Mr Grais’s Baboon and Donkey circus act, amazed how well the pompadoured, striped-shirted showman trained his troupe of animals. He was a clever juggler too, rarely dropping a club. She hoped Mr Roberts was enjoying it. Then, with animals herded off, sweepers and cleaners moved on, bucket and mop in hand.

Taking her place on stage for Chicago – still running after all those months – she detected the lingering whiff of animals and disinfectant with top notes of floral perfumes she and other girls had doused themselves with. Rose tried to spot Mr Roberts, making sure a leg was artfully displayed through the high-cut slit of her costume when she posed.

In her dressing room, after smearing cold cream on her face and wiping off stage make up, Rose dressed carefully in a new red jacket with leg-of-mutton sleeves and tight waist. Her green woollen skirt was flared over a pale-yellow petticoat and bum roll, and her small hat, trimmed with flowers and stiff bows, was quite the thing. When she and Ivy stepped out of the stage door, she was fashionably attired – with a distinctive feel for colour that was all her own – with only the tips of her shoes peeping out with each step.

She waved. ‘Mr Roberts. Here we are!’

Arthur Roberts strode forward. ‘What a lucky man. Two ladies!’ Arm in arm, they walked in the direction of Soho and in Dean Street stopped at the iron railing outside Blacks. ‘Shall we?’ he said.

Buy Link:

Universal Buy Link:   https://books2read.com/u/4ANrAN

Author Bio:

Stories with big themes written as page-turners are Anna M Holmes’s speciality.

With an extensive background in dance and theatre, Dance of the Earth is a story she has longed to write. Her novels—The Find, Wayward Voyage, and Blind Eye—are all typified by deep research.

Anna worked as a radio journalist before embarking on a career in arts management. Originally from New Zealand, she now lives in South-West London.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.annamholmes.com 

Twitter / X: https://x.com/AnnaMHolmes_ 

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/AnnaMHolmesWriter 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annamholmeswriter/ 

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/annamholmes.bsky.social 

TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@annamholmes_

Amazon Author Page:

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21436051.Anna_M_Holmes