Before you are stories - funny, sad, instructive, invariably interesting and immersing in the magical world of music, told by a person of a unique profession - accompanist of ballet. Have you ever watched a performance not from the auditorium, but from behind the scenes? Have you been to rehearsal or class? Want to drop in? On the pages of this book, the author will lead you through the "service entrance," and you will find yourself inside the educational process, usually hidden from prying eyes. The collection includes stories not only about professionals or students, but also about people for whom music or dance is not a profession, but a hobby, passion, part of life. However, often the author himself feels like a student who is trying to figure out a new world for him - the world of dance. The book was shortlisted for the 2012 Manuscript of the Year national literary award.