More Dancing Shapes - by Once Upon A Dance (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

More Dancing Shapes is the second in the series from an award-winning dance teacher and her ballet-dancer daughter. Following a format similar to the Dancing Shapes debut: our ballerina heroine, Konora, leads readers through:

• - an inside glimpse into her continuing almost-ballerina journey
• - a warm-up and basic ballet technique lesson
• - an exploration of form and shape
• - creating their own unique shapes

The Dancing Shapes series provides young dancers ongoing challenges to revisit. With four books in one, there's something for everyone. Preschoolers can try the broad shapes, older kids can fine-tune the details, and all ages can delve into storytelling and discover the crazy world of pre-professional ballet.

With more than fifty poses to contemplate or re-create, aspiring young dancers:

• - learn basic ballet technique and vocabulary
• - develop an eye for detail
• - explore movement concepts
• - increase body awareness
• - strengthen spatial perception and balance
• - celebrate gratitude, the value of practice and review Dancing Shapes concepts

Review Quotes

Ballerina Konora is back with even more dancing shapes to share. Sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic, Konora and her mother turned to creating books for young and aspiring dancers to support movement and the learning of dance from home.

Like the first book in the series, More Dancing Shapes begins with an introduction speaking directly to readers and informing them how the book is designed and intended to be used. After a brief description of Konora's dancing history-including new details not mentioned in the first installment-readers are invited to get up and move along with Konora. Beginning with a warm up, young dancers learn new ballet terms and movements, enhancing their repertoire and building upon skills learned in the first book.

Vivid photographs appear on every page, inspiring and demonstrating at the same time. Whether onstage in a bright costume or backlit to showcase a particular shape, these images of Konora are compelling to both dancers and non-dancers alike.

This book incorporates more French ballet terminology than its predecessor, elevating young dancers to the next level of understanding. An informal glossary of terms at the end of the book helps with pronunciation and comprehension in case context is not sufficient for some readers.

An actively engaging game is included in this book, encouraging creativity as readers attempt to follow Konora's prompts in their own way. Imagination is a common theme in this book, and readers are even invited to share their stories with Konora directly, if they wish.

Like the first book, this second installment emphasizes the fact that dancing is for everyone, whether performing onstage or moving purely for enjoyment. A balanced amount of text and imagery makes this book accessible to a range of readers, although the text itself is best read aloud by an adult due to its complexity.

Written in a conversational tone that speaks directly to readers, this is a natural extension of the Dancing Shapes series and is an interactive addition to young ballet dancers' reading collections.