Feel the Beat: Dance Poems that Zing from Salsa to Swing

This is a fun one, though I have to admit that I haven't listened to the CD. Maybe I can convince Areg to play it in the car...

Each poem is set to the beat of the type of music for a different particular dance. There's salsa and swing, but there's also hip hop (I didn't know there was just one rhythm), polka, Hora, and bhangra, among others. I wasn't expecting that diversity, and it was such a pleasure! There are a few attempts to change up gender roles: one boy likes to waltz (but only in his room?) and one girl isn't good at square dancing.

I also loved that the entry on swing dance is almost certainly inspired by the swing dance lessons and sessions held in Bryant Park behind the New York Public Library in the summer--the poem talks show more about all the things you can do at and borrow from the library before switching to swing dancing in the plaza in July!

There are notes in the back with a paragraph about each type of dance.

I totally recommend this one! show less

This collection of poems sends up the joy of social dancing. From ballroom to hip hop to bhangra, there is a diverse representation of dances. The illustrations depict multi-hued dancers young and old in lively movement, whether at a bar mitzvah, birthday party or Carnival parade. Poems are cleverly structured to reflect the beat of the dance. If you're not familiar with all the rhythms, the accompanying CD gives an introduction as the author performs her poems over original music that is reflective of each given dance. Poetry that is fun and accessible!

This collection of poems about dances from around the world is fantastic. The meter of each poem matches the rhythm of the dance and the online version I read from the library came with audio of the narrator reading the poem with music in the background. Great way to get kids into poetry and moving at the same time. A great addition to any cultural themed story time or as a partner to a non fiction book about a place or group of people.

*Growth Area 3* VERY fun book! There are so many styles of dances in this book and each has a poem describing it. Some rhyme and they all have rhythm. I love picturing all of the dances happening as I listened to each poem. The illustrations are fun and detailed and each one is different as it shows the flavor of the dance. The author, Marilyn Singer has such a captivating way of writing about each dance. You learn about the movements of each dance and get lost in the descriptions of each poem. I think students would enjoy learning about all the different styles of dance and maybe even trying some of them out by learning a few steps!

Marilyn Singer's love of both poetry and music clearly shines in this book, and the CD that accompanies these poems brings the book to life. Each poem is about a different dance, and the author reads them with the dance music in the background. What a great way to introduce little ones to poetry—and a few dance steps! Kristi Valiant's energetic, colorful illustrations are a perfect match for the sparkly mood inspired by Marilyn's words.

I like this poetry book for many reasons. One reason I like it is because the writing goes along with the style of dance the author is referring to. For example, the rhythm of each poem mimics the beat of the dances' steps. This is a great way for readers to become engaged while also being educated on different forms of dance. Another reason I like this poetry book is because it includes so many different forms of dance from many different cultures. For example, the poems go from samba, to salsa, to hip hop, etc. This is a way for readers to feel included and or learn something new about a form of dance. The main message of this poetry book is that music and dance can unite us.

A fun book of poems about different types of dancing. The layout of the poems are engaging to readers, some split the page, other are free forming. The poems themselves are similar styles but vary in length and difficulty. There is one about the Foxtrot, the Cha Cha, the Two Step, and many more. The illustrations are fairly realistic and include multiple different dances from around the world, with a diverse group of people dancing. Any students who are interested in dancing would love this book- some may find it boring! You could definitely do one a day as each poem is fairly long.