dancergirl by Carol M. Tanzman

Alicia Ruffino is a talented dancer with a cool part-time job her local Brooklyn Heights dance studio, where she gets to take dance lessons for free. When a friend films her dancing for fun at a concert in Prospect Park, she is so magnetic on camera that he begs to film her again, in a more controlled, planned way.  When videos of her dancing as “dancergirl” blow up on the YouTube-like Zube network, Ali encounters the typical online outpouring of awestruck praise and hateful detractors that accompany any viral video. Thousands of people have seen her dance, and know who she is, and one isn’t content to watch from afar any longer...... 5 Reasons to Let dancergirl Creep Up On You 1. Serious heebie jeebies, without an ounce of paranormal   I was so utterly creeped out by what was happening to Ali, I physically felt the chills of being watched and sized up without my knowledge. For a couple days, I had to shake my own shadow of paranoia. Usually it takes a really well-crafted ghost/demon story to impart chills that live past the last page, but the stalker drama really sunk its creepy teeth in. It seemed so easy and inescapable to inadvertently become the object of some crazy person’s obsession. There were times when I thought the only hope for Ali was to a) wear a paper bag over head, b) move, or c) get a serious makeover, as in die job and contact lenses. 2. The dancing!  The dynamic dance sequences Ali does are lovingly described—it’s as though she’s taking flight before your eyes (or on your Zube screen). You absolutely pull for her to win roles in the prestigious recital, and to nail routines, stalker or not. 3. Brooklyn Heights This charming neighborhood provides  a wonderful setting to a story that summons up crowds of anonymous eyes at will. Brooklyn Heights and to a larger extent, other parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan, could be either entrancingly beautiful or perilous, depending on Ali’s level of paranoia. It was amazing how menacing her surroundings seemed when she felt she was being watched, and that anyone in her neighborhood, or the five boroughs of NYC could be after her. 4. Be careful what you share.... In this ever increasingly social world, this story is a nice reminder to be careful what you share, and to make sure to safeguard your truly important personal information (like your address!). It's our modern day right to be able to share our lives digitally without being subjected to cyber-bullying or cyber-stalking, and this book in no way is a "get off the net" freakout sesh, but rather a reminder that you can't control other people. If someone does go overboard, make sure you've safeguarded yourself enough that you don't fear for your physical safety. 5. Sweet romance While it doesn’t dominate the plot, the romance is an incredibly sweet and emotional touch to the story. Saying who Ali’s love interest is would spoil some red herrings in the stalker mystery, since everyone—friend, foe, & complete stranger—seems to be a suspect, but let’s just say it was a surprising and welcome development.  Overall, this is a frightening cautionary tale that is entertaining, thrilling, and eye-opening.