Joey Finds His Jump!

A Dance-It-Out Creative Movement Story for Young Movers

Author: Once Upon a Dance
Narrator: Amy Barron Smolinski
Length: 21 minutes
Series: Dance-It-Out! Creative Movement Stories for Young Movers
Publisher: Once Upon a Dance
Released: Oct. 27, 2021
Genre: Children's

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Synopsis

Kids’ movement inspiration wrapped up in a charming story of friendship and determination.

One of 12 Dance-It-Out! Creative Movement Stories by an award-winning dance teacher turned award-winning author and her ballerina daughter.

Movement, technique, and dance concepts in this heartwarming story include:

  •  pliés
  • tiptoes
  • relevé
  • marches
  • skips
  • side stretches
  • child’s pose
  • hops
  • jumps (two-foot jumps, spinning jumps, etc.)
  • leaps (grand jetés)
  • frog jumps
  • twisting
  • body part isolation and coordination
  • moving with emotion
  • concept of wide/narrow
  • concept of small/medium/large

Major themes include friendship, the value of practice, empathy, helping each other, meeting new people, making new friends, and working toward a goal.

The story has two tracks - one includes movement suggestions (text narrated by Amy Barron Smolinski, as expressed by Ballerina Konora), and one with only story text.

Each Dance-It-Out story is an interactive kids’ storytelling adventure to ignite children’s movement, joy, and imagination.

The books can be used as a supplement for dance or theater studio classes or camps. Joey Finds His Jump! pairs well with themes such as storytelling, going to the zoo, making new friends, kangaroos, or frogs.

Ideal for pre-ballet, preschool, daycare, early learning, homeschool, kindergarten, etc.

Meet the Author: Once Upon a Dance

Once Upon a Dance’s mission is to provide kids movement, joy, and imagination through stories. Their catalog offers four primary book series, including Dance-It-Out! Creative Movement Stories, offering the imagination 'stage' alongside whimsical characters in quirky stories with Ballerina Konora as an optional movement guide.

The series is designed by a mother-daughter duo. Mom taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was recognized by her city council for “embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community” for her work with young dancers. Daughter is an apprentice with Ballet Idaho and has danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet, Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, and Texture Contemporary Ballet.

Their stories can be summed up with this review excerpt:
"This whimsical tale of discovery is so full of joy and wonder. It also opens a door to dance in the most charming and accessible way."
—Peter Boal, Artistic Director, Pacific Northwest Ballet

Once Upon a Dance has published seventeen books during the pandemic, with audio versions out or coming soon for nine stories.

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