Book Review: “A Whole Song and Dance” Showcases the Ups and Downs of Pursuing One’s Dreams

This heartwarming, fully relatable, intimate comedy starring Nasrin Mahdavi and a slew of entertaining-loving supporting solid associates showcases a younger, driven Iranian-American college freshman who’s a triple menace on Broadway—but who’s dwelling a double everyday living.

What is A Full Tune and Dance about?

It’s her initial semester majoring in musical theater at NYU’s prestigious Tisch College of the Arts, and Nasrin spends her times prepping for auditions, perspiring through dance lessons, and belting her heart out for the viral streaming demonstrate she’s been solid in. But on calls with her maman and baba, she’s the golden little one who set her theater goals aside to follow in their entrepreneurial footsteps as a business enterprise key. 

At minimum her entire life is not a lie—she is taking a solitary business program. Other than she’s variety of failing it. Nasrin needs to provide her quality up fast if she’s heading to maintain her moms and dads in the darkish, so she grudgingly symptoms up for tutoring with the infuriatingly smug and annoyingly attractive Max. And yet… as the semester rushes by, the sparks of anger that 1st flew concerning them start to switch into a pretty distinct form of spark. The variety she definitely does not have time for.

Other than when Nasrin’s charmingly devious cousin usually takes an curiosity in Max also, Nasrin has to determine out accurately what has been an act, and what’s for serious. Can Nasrin make a decision what—and who—is definitely value battling for, and locate a way to action into the spotlight as her full self?

A Complete Song and Dance is Properly Titled and Perfectly Created

I was smitten with Nasrin’s tale in numerous approaches. The title A Entire Track and Dance has a clever double indicating, as it is not just about Nasrin’s performing pursuits but about the perceived carnage together the way – primarily the pretty much calendar year-extensive “song and dance” she does in maintaining her solution from her mother and father. Not only is the force we put on ourselves for our parent’s acceptance and support absolutely relatable (certainly was in my circumstance), but so too is the force we place on ourselves in navigating this mad very little detail referred to as existence – even when it looks as if the earth is at our feet.

A Full Track and Dance is about remaining courageous sufficient to comply with your dreams but potentially not staying very brave more than enough to deal with the impacts of that pursuit. Associations, priorities and what we make excuses for are at the main of this tale and are dealt with in a refreshing and candid way. Author Sarvenaz Tash’s frank and creative creating is a pleasure to lose oneself in. Tash produces an inviting and stimulating framework in which she injects characters that fight their personal demons and from whom there is a lot to learn.

The people in A Whole Song and Dance are lovable for the reason that they are all flawed and plausible. Even with the tale remaining set amongst the razzle dazzle of the acting and theater globe, the character’s struggles are down-to-earth and genuine. Nasrin struggles with her prior encounters, juggling a hectic timetable, and her inability to convey to her moms and dads what she is definitely up to. Her ideal good friend, Beckett, has issues speaking with these closest to him – all to his personal detriment. Max proceeds to do the job by way of his parents’ disapproval of his individual career objectives and how it affects him. Readers will be equipped to relate to at the very least one particular, but I suspect extra, of these character struggles and hopefully have a lighthearted snicker about it along the way.

The contrast concerning the acting earth and the business earth is also dealt with in a sincere, genuine way. Nasrin does not shun both job option, but reflectively and thoughtfully would make light-weight of the pros and disadvantages of each, as properly as the reality that the grass can usually appear greener on the other facet. She learns to have the bravery and confidence to make rough selections. As much as she desires to do it all, at some place, something’s bought to give, and she will come to conditions with this and handles it with admirable grace.

Do yourself a favor and check out out A Complete Track and Dance. It could possibly support you navigate your very own “song and dance” while providing you braveness to face your fears and take your authentic self.

A Complete Music and Dance was unveiled on April 4, 2023.