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Review: Carla And Leo’s World Of Dance

July 20, 2011 by 4dancers

Quite frankly, this is an amazing book. Created by a former fashion model and dancer and designed for children ages 8 to 12, “Carla and Leo’s World of Dance” is well written and beautifully illustrated.

The book tells the story of best friends, Leo and Carla, who take classes at a dance studio. They sample everything from swing to foxtrot to tango. Throughout their journey, the reader learns about the history and background of each dance style as their teacher, Miss Paulina teaches them.

The book is visually engaging from the moment you see it. The cover features a darling picture of Carla and Leo dancing together, and he has sparkles on his tie while she has them dotted throughout her skirt–a detail you can’t see from the photo.

Thierry Perez is the illustrator, and he is nothing short of amazing. Every picture is imaginative and skillfully drawn–the book is really a feast for the eyes. It’s the kind of thing that as a child I would have cherished, and looked at again and again.

Author, Agatha Relota has done a wonderful job of capturing her love of dance here–it’s contagious. She strikes a nice balance between educating the reader and sharing the excitement of discovering dance for the first time. I also appreciated the fact that she chose something other than ballet to highlight, as so many dance books limit themselves to that as subject matter. This one exposes kids to a wide range of styles and teaches them what countries they hail from as well. You can tell a great deal of thought went into the format. Also, Relota’s friend, Jessica Alba penned a forward for her–something that was a bit unexpected, yet interesting.

If you are looking for a terrific dance book, “Carla and Leo’s World of Dance” is as good as they come. I wish I had something this cool when I was a 10-year-old girl.

It’s stunning.

You can purchase this book on Amazon.com.

Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers, Books & Magazines, Dance Gifts, FOR SALE, Reviews, Studios Tagged With: agatha relota, carla and leo's world of dance, cha-cha, dance, dance book, foxtrot, jessica alba, tango, thierry perez

CD Review: Music for Ballet Class III

July 13, 2011 by 4dancers

Mediaphorie has added another excellent ballet class music CD to their lineup with their latest – “Music for Ballet Class III” (Musique pour le Cours de Danse Classique).

It’s lovely to have original music to use, and this collection fits the bill. The tracks are expertly played by pianist and composer Ellina Akimova, who plays in France for the Ballet School of the Paris National Opéra, as well as the CNSMDP, at the CND, and at the Danse school of the conservatoire of the XVIIe district of Paris.

There is nothing quite like taking class with an accomplished pianist providing accompaniment, and if you can’t have live music, this is the next best thing. The phrasing is perfect, and the musical choices suit the exercises in a way that only someone who knows ballet well could choose, with perky music for tendus and a pretty selection for plies. Everything is well-matched.

The complexity of some of the tracks here make me lean toward recommending this CD to teachers with more advanced students. Some of the slower pieces may be a bit difficult for brand new students in terms of using the phrasing properly for movement. Advanced students will appreciate the opportunity to get into the spirit of things and practice their musicality. Akimova’s Russian roots shine through in her music, making the selections all the more beautiful.

This album features repeated tracks for easy instruction at the barre. There is a complete class here–barre and centre, with music for pointe and for tracks geared toward men.

This is what happens when you have an expert pianist at the helm–I can recommend this CD easily for ballet class. It would make a great addition to any teacher’s collection. The cost is $30, and you can find it, as well as other ballet music on Mediaphorie’s site.

 

Filed Under: 4teachers, Dance Gifts, FOR SALE, Online Dance Resources, Reviews, Studios Tagged With: ballet CD, ballet class, ballet class music, ballet school of the paris national opera, elliina akimova, mediaphorie

Product Review: TwinkleTies

May 18, 2011 by 4dancers

TwinkleTies

TwinkleTies are designed to add a little sparkle to tap shoes, while being practical. The product is hand-made, and can also be used for gym shoes or even as a ponytail holder.

I thought these would be especially fun for a young dance student. The ties really are cute, and my 7-year-old niece was most definitely eyeballing them when I took them out of the package. You can choose from blue, green, pink and crystal.

I think these make a great alternative to the typical ties used for tap shoes, which often come undone at all the wrong times. A really super-cute idea, and easy to use!

Pass the word–comment below and enter yourself into a drawing for a giveaway! I’ll send a pair of red TwinkleTies to the lucky winner!

Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers, Dance Clothing & Shoes, Dance Gifts, Reviews

Review: World Dance Workout

February 8, 2011 by 4dancers

World Dance Workout

Product: World Dance Workout CD

Website: www.worlddanceworkout.net

Cost: $25 for CD, $22 for digital download

World Dance Workout is a CD designed specifically for dance. The music is percussion, and the musicians understand that a steady rhythm is needed to accompany movement. The centerpiece of this album is a nice, hypnotic beat that would be great for many different types of dance class. I can see belly dancers using it, modern dance classes or even dance classes at a health club. [Read more…]

Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers, Dance Gifts, FOR SALE, Reviews, Studios Tagged With: belly dance, dance class, modern dance, percussion, world dance workout, world music

Dance Book Giveaway

November 14, 2010 by 4dancers

Today I’d like to introduce a blog that I recently discovered – Picture Books & Pirouettes. Author Kerry Aradhya is a children’s poet, dancer and aspiring picture book author and she has done a lovely job on this site where you will find numerous reviews of books for children. I’d never seen many of these–it was very interesting…

This week, Picture Books & Pirouettes is hosting a review and giveaway of The Barefoot Book of Dance Stories (a new collection of dance folktales from around the world). Later in the week, Kerry will also be blogging about the companion book, The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories, and posting an interview with co-authors Jane Yolen and Heidi Stemple. You are invited to join in the fun!

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Filed Under: 4teachers, Books & Magazines, Dance Gifts, Online Dance Resources, Reviews, Studios Tagged With: children's dance books, kerry aradhya, picture books & pirouettes

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