When It All Syncs Up

MAYA AMEYAW is a former bookseller and currently works as a community arts writing instructor. She has edited several mental health-themed anthologies for youth and adults, and her writing was included in the anthology Brilliance Is the Clothing I Wear(DundurnPress). Maya also runs a YouTube series and blog where she interviews YA authors about their writing journeys. She lives in Toronto and can be found on Twitter @MayaAmeyaw.

"A Black teen dancer with dreams of landing a spot in a prestigious ballet company must learn to dance on her own terms in this explosive debut about the healing power of art and friendship, perfect for fans of Heartbreaker and Tiny Pretty Things. Ballet is Aisha's life. So when she's denied yet another lead at her elite academy because she doesn't "look" the part, she knows something has to change-the constant discrimination is harming her mental health. Switching to her best friend Neil's art school seems like the perfect plan at first. But she soon discovers racism and bullying are entrenched in the ballet program here, too, and there's a new, troubling distance between her and Neil. And as past traumas surface, pressure from friends and family, a new romance, and questions about her dance career threaten to overwhelm her. There's no choreography to follow-for high school or for healing. Aisha will have to find the strength within herself-and place her trust in others-to make her next move."