Dancing Words Blog

To & Fro, Fast & Slow

I just pulled this book off the shelf again today. I am a fan of artist/author Durga Bernhard. Her 2001 book To & Fro Fast & Slow can be a great springboard for a wide variety of dance explorations with students in preschool-third grade.

A dance teacher might simply read the book and riff off of the text and pairings of words, such as: south and north, back and forth, over and under.

The story is actually a unique one, capturing a child who lives two lives - split between time with her father and time with her mother. That component of the story will resonate with many students. How do we explore different ideas, activities, and environments in our lives? 

I love using the word pairings in "opposites books" as springboards for movement, whether it is for improvisational activities, partner activities, or creating a dance with contrasting ideas.

The book can easily be purchased used on amazon.com. Check it out!

 

Ballerina Dreams

I was just referencing the book Ballerina Dreams with a colleague the other day, in a discussion about dance classes in the Bay Area for students with special needs. Ballerina Dreams (by Lauren Thompson, with photographs by James Estrin) is a beautiful, inspiring tale of a group of 5 young students with cerebral palsy or Erb's palsy, determined to also dream of ballet classes and a final performance.

The book chronicles in photos and text the story of the girls learning dances, donning costumes and make up, and living the dream of being a dancer on stage. It shows the girls, their determined teacher, and their amazing class helpers - all who worked together to make the culminating performance possible.

Ballerina Dreams is powerful for various reasons. First and foremost, it is a great addition to any dance collection, showing that dance is possible by all students who have a love and curiosity of movement. This book will absolutely inspire students and parents with disabilities. The book is ideal for students ages 4-8. 

Second, the book is an inspiring example for dance teachers all around the world. There is still so much potential to offer more classes and opportunities for dancers with varying abilities. 

Reading Ballerina Dreams will inspire students, parents, and dancers alike. We all can dance when given the opportunity.

 

Mimi's Tutu

I recently checked out the 1996 book Mimi's Tutu from the local library. I encourage you to check it out too, or buy it used from amazon.com. It is a lovely, unique picture book by Tynia Thomassie, with illustrations by Jan Spivey Gilchrist.

The main character, a young girl lovingly called Mimi, grows up in a family that loves music and dancing. Mimi observes the women in her family dancing together in African dance classes. One day another young girl shows up as well, but this time she is wearing a tulle tutu. Mimi wants to dance, and to wear a special outfit as well. Her family gives her her own lapa - a traditional African skirt. She proudly wears it and dances.

Mimi's Tutu is a great book to share with young children ages 3-8. It is a great story celebrating a young child's cultural history.

Yoga with 5-7 Year Olds

The other morning, we had a little yoga session at home with my 5 and 7 year old sons.

We used two books as our springboards for movement.

First, we used the Kid Moves Preschooler book as inspiration - simply looking at the images and me reading some of the text. Even my first grader still enjoys this book.

Second, we read Baron Baptiste's My Daddy is a Pretzel. It has a cute, simple storyline to help inspire the poses. "Niki says her mommy's a gardener. Sometimes, my daddy's a tree (leading into the tree pose)."

In My Daddy is a Pretzel, there are playful illustrations and clear instructions for parents and teachers new to teaching yoga poses. 

Both books demonstrate the simple power and novelty of using a book as a springboard for movement. Kids like mine enjoy the visual component of the books, supporting their movement experience. 

Chinese New Year and Dragons Dancing

 

I recently pulled off of the shelf two great books on dragon dances.

Dragon Dancing by Carole Lexa Schaefer, with illustrations by Pierr Morgan, is a great book to read to preschoolers and kindergarteners, to explore the idea of a dragon dance (without it being too scary). Morgan's whimsical illustrations show a class of students pretending to do a dragon dance, and the dragon ventures through forests, marshes, and meadows.

For students in grades 1-4, I recommend The Day the Dragon Danced by Kay Haugaard, with illustrations by Carolyn Reed Barritt. The story is of a young girl and her grandmother, waiting for the Chinese New Year Parade in their community. The girl, known as Sugar, has learned about the celebration in school and is sharing the details with her grandmother. Finally the dragon appears, and Sugar saves the dragon dance by tying her father's loose shoe. (Her father is one of the community members under the dragon.) It is a unique tale of how people of all ages and cultures participate in celebrations.

 

Poetry Series: Shape Me a Rhyme

If you liked the book When a Line Bends....A Shape Begins that I wrote about a few weeks ago, then check out Shape Me a Rhyme by poet Jane Yolen and photographer Jason Stemple. Both of these books are fun inspiration to explore geometric shapes and lines as a theme with students in grades 2-5.

Shape Me a Rhyme looks at nature - and where we see circles, ovals, spirals, squares, and more. Each 2-page spread includes a whimsical poem as well as photos from nature. Another nice addition is that Yolen also included "key words" scattered on each spread. For example, the words to go with the poem "Arch" include: curve, U-turn, span, bow, and bend. I think all three components (poem, pictures, and words) will be fun inspiration for teaching artists and students for choreographic projects.

The shapes/lines explored in the book are: 

• Circle
• Triangle
• Coil
• Star
• Square
• Heart
• Arch
• Wave
• Oval
• Fan
• Rectangle
• Crescent

Circle - by Jane Yolen

Round as a ball,

Round as the sun,

A circle goes round

To where it's begun.

 

Where it's begun

Is where it will end.

And then it starts circling

Over again.

 

New Superguide on Dance by DK Publishing

Books by DK Publishing have a certain look, and they have published quite a few books on dance. The books are jam-packed with photos. The latest general guide to dance is wonderful.

Look beyond the gold, and somewhat silly, cover to the inside pages of Dance by Lorrie Mack. Inside, students in grades K-6 will find page after page of beautiful and varied photos and descriptions of many kinds of dance - from social dance to concert dance. The book even includes a variety of highlights on artists, from choreographer Busby Berkeley to Michael Jackson to Shen Wei. 

Don't overlook this book based on your first glance of it on the shelf. It will quickly offer your students and you a great "reference guide" to keep in your studio. 

You can even purchase it as an Ebook on the DK Publishing website. 

Time for Ballet

Time for Ballet by Adele Geras, with illustrations by Shelagh McNicholas, is another great find to read to your child (age 3-6) who loves ballet, getting dressed for class, the classroom environment, and  "performances."

Shelagh McNicholas offers joyful illustrations of young children, both boys and girls, in class.

While I was at first concerned about the "ballet class stereotype," I do feel that the book does a nice job sharing a story common for many young children. It is a great book to check out of the library or keep on your shelf at home. It will support a young dancer's love and curiosity of the art form. 

Magic and Whimsy Series: Silence

I cannot remember where I read the review of this book (either the Horn Book Guide or the New York Times Book Review), but it is definitely being added to my "magic and whimsy" list. Have you ever created dances with students in grades 3-5 without music, and they rolled with the beauty of moving in silence? If so, check out this book. 

The text of Silence by Lemniscates is simple and elegant - "In the silence.....I can hear the waves crashing...And the wind playing with my kite. At night, I can hear what the stars tell me."

I see a magical dance in the making - no musical accompaniment, but maybe a recording or live reading of the text while students dance. Or, consider creating a beautiful "dance for the camera" film project with your students using iMovie.