Dayana's new baby brother has finally arrived, and she can’t wait to teach him her best dance moves. There’s only one problem: nobody told Dayana that babies can’t stand up. Luckily, little brother has a surprise in store, and Dayana's about to meet the
world's coolest dance partner.
* Firebird Book Award
First Place Winner
* PenCraft Book Awards
First Place Winner "...a beautiful and triumphant story that highlights the power of persistence and the beauty of dance." —Pencraft Book Awards
Move along with Dayana (she), Dax (he), Kadeena the dragon (no pronouns), unicorns, trolls, fairies and more. A professional ballerina joins each page with instruction and inspiration. This
interactive story will get kids off the couch,
exploring movement and dance fundamentals.
Dayana, Dax, and the Dancing Dragon is ideal for
children 4-7. While there are some challenging movements, this story would make a great series introduction. Dance-It-Out!s are above level (language-wise) as they are often initially enjoyed with a caregiver or teacher.
Movement, technique, and dance concepts in this story include:
- Gallop/Chassé
- Plié
- Passé (shown but not discussed)
- Spin/Twirl
- Jump
- Kick
- Russian/Character Dance: Coffee Grinder/Helicopter
- Rocking/Weight Shift
- Extended Legs/Arms
- Activating/Relaxing Muscles
- Movement Quality
Major themes include
Dragons, Siblings, New Baby, Deep Breathing, Travelling, and
Faraway Places. The Dance-It-Out! books can be used as a supplement for dance or theater studio classes or camps.
Dayana, Dax, and the Dancing Dragon would pair well with themes such as
Dragons, Mythical Animals, Fantasy, Siblings, Babies, Ballet, Dance, Studying Ballet, Pirate Ships, Unicorns, Queens, Trolls, Castles, or
Fairies.Dance-It-Out! movement journeys are ideal for dance, pre-ballet, creative movement, preschool, daycare, early learning, physical education, homeschool, kindergarten, or first-grade activities. The full collection features male, female, and nonbinary diverse characters. Books make a great gift for boys or girls interested in dance, ballet, gymnastics, or yoga, or reluctant readers who enjoy getting up and moving.
With kind characters, subtle life lessons, and a positive role model in Ballerina Konora, teachers love the kid-approved, ready-made, easy additions to curriculum and lesson planning. Children at home adore the stories that “
young readers will return to again and again” (
—Reedsy).
About the AuthorOnce Upon a Dance offers movement, breath, joy, connection and imagination through stories. The catalog of 25 books was created by a mother-daughter pair. Ballerina Konora is living her dreams as a professional ballerina. Her mother, Teacher Terrel, taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was recognized by her local City Council for
embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed dance from every angle and has worked in education and with various non-profits supporting kids and families.
Visit www.OnceUponADance.com to learn more about their 25 books (spanning ages 3-12), numerous awards, plus teacher resources and kids' bonus activities.
