JOHN ROBERT ALLMAN lives in New York City, where he works in marketing for television and theater. He is the author of B Is for Ballet: A Dance Alphabet, Boys Dance!, and The Night Before the Nutcracker with American Ballet Theatre, in addition to A Is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z and B Is for Broadway: Onstage and Backstage from A to Z. He saw his first ballet, Ben Stevenson's Dracula, when he was seven. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @Johnny_Allman.

RACHAEL DEAN is a children's book illustrator based the United Kingdom. She often finds inspiration for her work in nature and in the many different countries she has traveled to. Follow Rachael on Instagram at @rachaeladean.

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE is one of the greatest dance companies in the world. Revered as a national treasure since its founding season in 1940, its mission is to create, present, preserve, and extend the great repertoire of classical dancing for the widest possible audience. Headquartered in New York City, ABT is the only cultural institution of its size and stature to extensively tour, enchanting audiences for eight decades in 50 US states, 45 countries, and over 480 cities worldwide. ABT's repertoire includes full-length classics from the nineteenth century, the finest works from the early twentieth century, and acclaimed contemporary masterpieces. In 2006, by an act of Congress, ABT became America's National Ballet Company®. Find out more at ABT.org and follow ABT dancers at @abtofficial on Instagram, on Twitter at @ABTBallet, and on Facebook at @AmericanBalletTheatre.