FALLING INTO DANCE

A ballerina gives tips to young dancers on how to fall—safely—and use those techniques to improve their ballet in this illustrated children’s guide.

In the voice of Ballerina Konora, the text begins by explaining, “This is less of a how-to book and more of a maybe-try-this book.” In a conversational tone, Konora discusses her own history as a dancer, starting from a very falling-prone toddlerhood, describing how learning to fall helped her become a better dancer—especially as modern dance tends to use more groundwork than classical ballet. After outlining the moves that are likely to cause falls (starting pointe being a prime offender), Konora moves on to teaching readers to fall safely, offering step-by-step instructions that some might find familiar from their own dance, theater, or martial arts classes. Training to fall safely helps dancers to choreograph their own motions, drawing inspiration from nature and designing dances that tell stories, both new and familiar, through movement. As in previous books from the Once Upon a Dance series, the author strikes a conversational tone, using both the real-world experiences and the ballet persona of Konora to share advice. Some of this counsel may be counter to what students hear in their own classes, as when Konora recommends that readers work with many different teachers (Konora always couches the guidance with caveats that some teachers offer different strategies). The simple phrasing and informal tone make the writing accessible for newly independent readers and dancers. Layouts that feature graphics evoking sticky notes or scrapbook pages offer permission for young readers to make their own notes or write down their own ideas. Maris’ realistic cartoon illustrations ably capture the movements depicted in the text, adding context and humor (especially when featuring the less realistic-looking animals in tutus) to the described scenarios. The eye-catching colors and humorous scenes are sure to grab a young audience’s attention, but the solid bits of advice for nascent dancers are where the real value lies.

Authoritative advice to help young dancers see the value in falling.