Dancing to the Beat
(PM+ Non-Fiction)

 Books

Dance is one of the oldest forms of communication. People dance just for fun. Many dance forms, such as belly dancing and waltzing, have been around for hundreds or even thousands of years. Other dances, such as the Macarena, are short lived crazes. Learn some basic flamenco steps, and the five basic feet positions used in ballet. Read interviews with a choreographer, and a cheerleading team. Find some useful tips about training to be a dancer. It's easy-to-read non-fiction with full colour-photos and illustrations - in the PM Non-Fiction series.


Author's Comments

I chose to write about this topic because I love to dance. In the past I've done ballet, flamenco, ballroom and latin American dancing – just for fun, not in competitions or professionally. My favourite dance is the tango. But I love all types of dance, especially barn dances with hay bales, a fiddler and a caller.

Giraffes Can't Dance Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear
Kathy dancing at a barn dance with friends
from the International Writing Program in Iowa City

Reading Activity
•  

Encourage a friend to join you to try a dance that you've never tried before, such as hip-hop, or learn something by yourself like Michael Jackson's style of moonwalking.
•  

Watch DVDs or dance movies to see if there's a style of dance that you like best.
•  

If you already dance, put a film of one of your dance performances on YouTube.
•  

If you like to dance, try choreographing a dance for a group of people.
•  

Put on a show for family and friends, provide popcorn and maybe even charge an entry fee. This could be a great way to earn money to buy Christmas presents.
•  

Read books about dance, and if you've been doing it for a few years, plan and write a book for children about your favourite type of dance. Get someone to take photos.

Giraffes Can't Dance Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear Dancing in My Nuddy-pants! (Confessions of Georgia Nicolson)
Click on these images to buy these books by other authors at Fishpond


<< back to books
Dancing to the Beat Dancing to the Beat
(PM+ Non-Fiction)
Thomson Learning Australia
(now called Cengage), 2003
ISBN 9780170099158
Where to buy this book
 
Review Extracts
 
"The PM series is Australia's most successful levelled reading program. There is quality, variety and breadth in more than 1000 accurately levelled fiction and non-fiction titles across the program. The non-fiction topics are designed to spark interest and enthusiasm in reading non-fiction. The PMs focus on topics that are child-centred with clear and logical presentation of facts, superb illustrations and photography."

 
 
>   The website for kids who love to dance
>   Type 'hip-hop for kids' into YouTube
>   Type 'learn to moonwalk and airwalk' into Google