Once Upon a Dance donates all proceeds to charity.
"Konora glides across the pages, inviting youngsters to tiptoe, leap,
roll, squat, jump among others physical activities through her ballet
positions. ... Cristian Gheorghita’s playful, animated illustrations
enchant readers, immersing them in the authors’ vivid imagination." —The
Prairies Book Review
Outstanding Creator Award First Place Winner
Purple Dragonfly First Place Winner
Each Dance-It-Out! story brings movement, joy, breath, connection, and
imagination. Ballerina Konora inspires with dance photos and suggestions. In
this story, Eka’s family creates a garden, but Eka worries animals may
destroy all their hard work. When playful elephants visit, will Eka's calm
quick thinking and problem solving save the vegetables and flowers?
Three books in one: readers can enjoy the story, act it out in their own
way, or try Konora’s suggested activities, designed by an award-winning
ballet teacher to develop body awareness and practice dance fundamentals
The
Dance-It-Out! collection spans books ideal for kids 3-9, and Eka and the
Elephants makes a great series introduction for children 4+. Eka and the
Elephants features Eka (no pronouns), Eka’s brother and sister, Koda and
Kanoni, and Eka’s parents, along with elephants, bunnies, and bees.
Movement
Concepts and Dance Technique in this story:
• Body Part Isolation (Fingers, Thumb,
Shoulders, Hips, Nose, Lips, etc.)
• Fine Motor Skills (Pinching,
Twisting, Wriggling Fingers, Flat, Clasped, etc.)
• Closed/Expanded
Shapes
• Falling
• Rolling
• Stillness/Muscle Deactivation
•
Breath In/Out
• Counted Movements
• Quality of Movement
(Heavy/Light, Slow/Fast, Jerky/Gently)
• Moving with Emotion (Surprise,
Excitement, Fear, Interest, etc.)
• Importance of Healthy Eating and
Sleep
Main elements and themes include Elephants, Rabbits, Animal
Rescue/Sanctuaries, Bees, Family, Gardening, Pea Plants, Carrots,
Sunflowers, Dreams, and Healthy Eating.
This movement journey is
ideal for dance, creative movement, physical education, homeschool,
preschool, kindergarten, or first-grade activities. The full Dance-It-Out!
collection features male, female, ungendered, and nonbinary diverse
characters. Dance-it-Out! books make a great gift for boys or girls
interested in dance, ballet, gymnastics, or yoga, or reluctant readers who
enjoy getting up and being active.
My Review
Eka
and the Elephants is a cute children's book about a child named Eka who, along
with their siblings and parents, plants a vegetable garden and is eager to see
it grow. Things seem to be going well, until footprints are discovered. What
animal could have made those prints in the garden? Eka believes it to be an
elephant, based on what their brother says, and soon, the garden is being
invaded and trampled by many elephants. What can Eka do?
This
is a fun, interactive story that offers young readers multiple ways to act it
out and bring it to life. The story is also a bit silly, so children will enjoy
reading it again and again. The illustrations are bright and colorful, and the
story is easy to read.
Another
hit from Once Upon a Dance! 5 stars!
About the authors
Once Upon a Dance is an award-winning mother-daughter collaboration.
Ballerina Konora climbed the ballet ladder to pro, and she's thrilled to
be living her dreams dancing with Ballet Idaho. Along the way, she
danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella.
Teacher Terrel taught dance for decades and was honored by her City
Council for "embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to
children in our community" for her work with young dancers. She's
breathed ballet from every angle and worked in early childhood
education, for non-profits supporting kids, and as a university English
teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer.
Once Upon a Dance 2021/2022 Awards: Mom’s Choice Gold Award, Family
Choice Award, Royal Dragonfly First Place, PenCraft Award First Place,
Firebird First Place, Pinnacle: Best Book Juvenile Fiction, Independent
Press Award Winner, International Impact Book Award Winner, Outstanding
Creator Awards Winner, Readers Favorite Certified Great Read, Indie’s
Today 5-Star Recommended, The Wishing Shelf 5-Star, Literary Titan
5-Star Award.
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Welcome!
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Please try not to spam posts with the same comments over and over again. Authors like seeing thoughtful comments about their books, not the same old, "I like the cover" or "sounds good" comments. While that is nice, putting some real thought and effort in is appreciated. Thank you.