Learn to Speak Dance: A Guide to Creating, Performing & Promoting Your Moves

Watching a flashy music video or an episode of So You Think You Can Dance probably makes most people a little shy about their dancing skills, but we all know how to dance. After all, dance is just a mash up of everyday movement and imagination. And while a musician might learn how to play piano or guitar, a dancer’s instrument is her own body. We just need to explore the unique, artistic voice inside that instrument — and Learn to Speak Dance is all about helping kids do just that!

Drawing upon years of experience as a dancer, and dance teacher, Ann-Marie Williams exposes every aspect of the world of dance — from different dance styles from around the world to tips on choreography, costume design, performance, staging, and even managing a potential career. She’s also brought along the expert opinions of a number of other dancers, set designers, choreographers, and reality TV judges, who share great tips and anecdotes throughout. But there’s no need to get stage fright — Learn to Speak Dance isn’t an audition, a lecture, or even a class. It’s simply a revelation of just how far your own two feet can take you.

Ann-Marie Williams is the director of the Movement Lab, a Toronto dance school for kids. She holds an MA in Dance, a BFA in Theater-Dance, and is also a fully certified ballet teacher with the Royal Academy of Dance. She has over a decade of teaching experience in a variety of settings from university dance programs to parks and recreation classes, and is a frequent contributor to The Dance Current. Williams lives in Toronto.

Jeff Kulak is an award-winning designer-illustrator. From his studio, a converted room in a former nunnery, he creates art for magazines and theater posters. He lives in Montreal.