Posy Fossil

Posy Fossil is a character in the book Ballet Shoes and its two television adaptations. She was adopted by Professor Matthew Brown, called Gum, who took her from her mother, the dancer. She is portrayed by Sarah Prince (in 1975 adaption) and by Lucy Boynton (in 2007 adaptation). She was created by Noel Streatfeild in 1936.

Posy's story

Posy's father died shortly after her birth, and her young mother, who was a dancer, didn't have time for a baby. So she was adopted by Professor Matthew Brown, called Gum. Posy grew up in London, England. As the youngest, she is boisterous and often self-centred; Pauline and Petrova often feel they have to 'sit' on her in order to teach her a little bit of humility but this only has a limited effect. What her sisters see as arrogance is to a large extent Posy's confidence in her extraordinary ability as a dancer (apparent from a very young age). She also has a great talent for mimicry that often helps in times of stress. Posy is also the inheritor of the titular ballet shoes, a parting gift from her birth mother. Of the three sisters she is perhaps the most gifted and dedicated to her art.

She was only six when she became a student at the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training. Posy was in the first class, but due to her talent for dance, she became a student of Madame Fidolia, the headmistress of the school. Under her teachings, Posy's talent increases and soon became the best dancer in the school, destined be a prima ballerina when she grew up. Unlike Pauline and Petrova, she was rarely concerned about their lack of funds, convinced there would always be enough money to allow her to continue dancing. Her drive to dance often made her insensitive to other people's problems. For instance, when Madame Fidolia had a stroke Posy stated that she wasn't worried about the well being of her teacher but about who was going to teach her now. No longer being under the instruction of the accomplished professor she went to Manov, a famous ballet dancer, and asked to take her on as a pupil. At first he laughed and was not convinced of her capabilities but soon changed his mind when he saw her perform.

At the end of the book, Posy is accepted as a pupil by Manov and moves to Prague in (what was then known as) Czechoslovakia in order to study with him, accompanied by Nana.

Portrayals

• In Ballet Shoes, a TV serial from 1975, was portrayed by Sarah Prince.
• In 2007 adaptation, Ballet Shoes, she was portrayed by Lucy Boynton.