Dancing Shapes: Ballet and Body Awareness for Young Dancers (Dancing Shapes: A Backstage Look at Ballet Life • Ages 6–8)

Movement. Creativity. Gratitude. Persistence. Wisdom.
Dancing Shapes is a 2021 Independent Press Award Winner.

“A visually stunning and interactive” pandemic creation from an award-winning dance teacher and her ballerina daughter, both immersed in the ballet world until coronavirus.

Dancing Shapes provides an inside gorgeous glimpse into one ballerina’s journey. Konora, whose career has been sidelined by COVID-19, leads readers through warm-up steps, a basic ballet technique lesson, and an exploration of movement and form.

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 making healthy choices

What Moms and Dads Said:
Gorgeous! Inspirational! Dancing girls alllllll over my backyard!!!

…while looking at the cover with all those poses said, “I can do that one. I can’t do that one. I can do that one. I can’t do that one…” Then she started trying them. The pictures alone inspired her…

As soon as we read something like, “Can you try...” she would hop right up and try it...

[This 11-year old] thought it was easy to follow and liked all the interesting shape pictures, she liked that there were “challenges” to try...

Dancing Shapes has won several awards:
• 2021 Independent Press Award WINNER
• 2021 15th Annual National Indie Excellence® Awards Finalist
• 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist

About the Author
Konora climbed the pre-professional ballet ladder up to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division and is now an apprentice at Ballet Idaho. Along the way, she danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella.

Konora’s mother taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was honored to be chosen and recognized by her local City Council (2014) 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: child to pre-professional to adult ballet student, zoom student, dance teacher, dance mom, competition mom, ballet-school parent-guilder, audience member, recital planner, business owner, and board member.

Series Movement/Technique: Pointed Toes; First position; Plié; Relevé; Arabesque; Ballet Positions; Tendu; Sur le Cou-de-Pied; Passé; Sous Sous; Grand Plié; Details; Body Parts; Body Coordination; Stretching; Splits; Breath; Healthy Choices; Habits; Creating Shapes; Improv Dance; Poses, Practice, Curtsy, Bow, Fancy French; Attitude; Symmetry; Weight; Flexed

Series Themes/Concepts: Good Attitude; Ballet Competitions; Beautiful; Gratitude; Discipline; Persistence; Imagination; Storytelling; Pretending; Independent Learning; Strong Women; Role Model; Coronavirus; COVID-19; Aspiring Ballerina; Ballet Career; Chasing Dreams; Floorwork; Dance is for Everybody; Ballet Biography