Don't Forget To Smile

Don’t Forget To Smile by Ariane Beeston is a sharp, heartfelt YA contemporary novel set in Australia’s high-pressure ballet world, where ambition and artistry collide. Clara has trained for perfection since preschool, chasing a place at the Australian National Ballet School. Elle tumbles into ballet via unexpected TikTok fame and arrives determined to shake up tradition. And Ben—loyal, talented, and quietly daring—wants the freedom to dance the roles he loves.

As the trio trains for the International Ballet Grand Prix at the Sydney Opera House, rivalries spark, friendships shift, and a scandal linked to a celebrated dancer exposes the harmful expectations baked into the industry. What begins as a fight for solos becomes a bigger question: what should ballet ask of young bodies and minds?

Perfect for readers who enjoy dance fiction, coming-of-age stories, friendship drama and stories about challenging toxic systems.

Step into rehearsal and see where their next dance leads.