A World of Dancers

by Ginjer L. Clarke

Overview

Explore the wide world of dancers and the history and cultures associated with each beautiful art form! Learn the stories and see breathtaking photographs of global performances in A World of Dancers, a nonfiction leveled reader perfect for kids interested in dance of all types!

Did you know that many Highland dances use swords to prove their strength? Or that bharatanatyam dancers perform with bells around their ankles and red dye on their hands and feet? There's a whole world of dances out there!

Told with simple language and shown with vivid photographs, A World of Dancers is perfect for emerging readers curious about the fascinating and varied dancers worldwide.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593384039
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/25/2023
Series:	Penguin Young Readers Level 4 Series
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	6.31(w) x 9.31(h) x 0.37(d)
Age Range:	8 - 9 Years

About the Author

Ginjer L. Clarke writes fun, fact-filled nonfiction books about weird, wonderful stuff. Her books have sold a combined total of more than 3 million copies worldwide, have appeared on best-seller lists, and have been featured in book fairs and on reading lists. Ginjer loves to learn new things and is excited to take readers on journeys around the world to explore unique habitats and the animals, plants, and people who live there.

Ginjer is an experienced and entertaining school, library, and conference presenter and has appeared at more than 150 elementary schools, regional reading and writing conferences, statewide book festivals, bookstores and libraries, and even a zoo. She is a graduate of James Madison University and lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband, young son, and several silly-looking pets.

Editorial Reviews

01/01/2023

Gr 3–5—Expressive movement is a phenomenon shared by humans as a species. This overview introduces elementary school readers to dance traditions from a wide selection of cultures. Organized by the role dance plays in a community—ceremony, folk, or performance—it gives examples of styles from every continent but Antarctica and draws some parallels between them. The writing style is personable and includes phonetic spellings for non-English words. The narrative is peppered with italicized action or sound words, such as "Swish!" and "Boom!," to encourage active reading or listening. Vivid photographs depict dancers of multiple ethnicities, often children, wearing traditional attire. Descriptions of how costume influences movement or how specialized shoes, musical instruments, or props factor into the dance forms give added context. Some basic historical information is included, e.g., that tap dance developed as a means of communication among enslaved people in America. Without references or suggestions for further reading, it may not satisfy requirements for serious young researchers, but it should do nicely to spark interest in the topic. VERDICT Recommended as an introduction to world dance styles that is accessible and inclusive of many cultures.—Shannon Titas

School Library Journal

2023-01-12
Dance can be found all over the world, providing insights into cultures, religions, and history.

Organized in loosely defined categories of ceremonial, folk, and performance dance, the book explores the various dances’ origins, movements, and accompanying music. Colorful stock photos display ethnically and culturally diverse subjects, highlighting the unique appearances of the dancers and their costumes and accessories. Clarke examines the Lunar New Year dragon dance, the Hawaiian hula, the Native American powwow, the dance of the Turkish whirling dervishes, and a dance performed by the Dagon people of Mali. Many folk dances evolved as expressions of cooperation and today are danced to demonstrate cultural pride. When people moved to other parts of the world, their folk dances often moved with them and adapted to their new environments. The polka began in Bohemia (now known as the Czech Republic) and morphed into a new form when emigrants relocated to Mexico. The book stresses that many dances require years of training and practice, such as ballet, kabuki, Bharatanatyam, Khmer, and fan dancing. Clarke employs accessible language, incorporating onomatopoeia to highlight the sounds of the music and the calls of the dancers and exhorting readers to get out there and have fun dancing.

A fascinating worldwide tour. (photo credits) (Nonfiction. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews