BOOKS
To retell any stories, obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain.
Book titles are blue and underlined. Click on them for further information about the books and how to buy them.
Alphabetized with short descriptions for your convenience.
Baby-Preschool to Ages 4-8
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Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird with Helen Craig (illus). (2006 - Ages 4-8)
This tiny dancer has proved to have enormous staying power—she has been a hugely popular character for more than twenty years. The original story about the feisty little mouse who wants nothing more than to dance still keeps young ballerinas leaping with delight.
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Angelina Ballerina Book & Doll Set (Angelina Ballerina) by Katharine Holabird with Helen Craig (illus).
(2006 - Ages 4-8)
This bright and beautiful Angelina Ballerina book and doll set features the full-size hardcover edition of the original Angelina Ballerina picture book, as well as a soft, huggable 9-inch Angelina plush doll. Little ballerinas will love having an Angelina doll to call their own. |
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Angelina's Ballet Class (Angelina Ballerina) by Katharine Holabird with Helen Craig (illus).
(2006 - Ages 4-8)
Come along as Angelina spins, twirls, and dances her way through Miss Lilly's ballet class. With instructions for each step, little girls can learn to dance just like Angelina!
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Angelina's Birthday (Angelina Ballerina) by Katharine Holabird with Helen Craig (illus). (2006 - Ages 4-8)
It’s Angelina’s birthday, and there’s going to be a party! She and her best friend Alice happily ride their bicycles to Mrs. Thimble’s General Store to buy decorations. But as they race home, bang! Angelina hits a rock and breaks her treasured bike. |
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Angelina's Christmas (Angelina Ballerina) by Katharine Holabird with Helen Craig (illus).
(2008 - Ages 4-8)
When Angelina Ballerina sees old Mr. Bell all alone at Christmastime, she decides to bring him some holiday cheer. Cousin Henry doesn’t want to help— until he finds that there’s a real Santa Claus living in their town! |
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Barbie in the Twelve Dancing Princesses (Step into Reading) by Tennant Redbank. (2006 - Ages 4-8)
Princess Barbie and her sisters dance the night away in a magical, musical adventure. Barbie and her princess sisters love to dance and sing, but thier evil Aunt Rowena doesn't believe it's proper princess behavior. The princesses escape to a secret, magical palace--but when Barbie discovers that her aunt is plotting to rule the kingdom... |
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Barn Dance! (Reading Rainbow) by Bill Martin and John Archambault with Ted Rand (illus). (1988 - Ages 4-8)
In an old farmhouse, bathed in the light of a full moon, a young boy creeps to his bedroom window and looks outside. Was that a voice he just heard, or the hooting of an owl? There it is again: Come a little closer...Come a little closer...Listen to the night...There's music in the air...But who could possibly be having a barn dance in the middle of the night? |
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Barnyard Dance! (Boynton on Board) by Sandra Boynton. (1993 - Ages 4-8)
Everybody sing along—because it's time to do-si-do in the barnyard with a high-spirited animal crew with twirling pigs, fiddle-playing cows, and other unforgettable animals. Extra-big, extra-fat, and extra-fun.
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Dancing Kettle and Other Japanese Folk Tales, edited by Yoshiko Uchida. (1986 - Ages 4-8)
Here are fourteen authentic folk stories, retold with humor and charm, which will delight children and those who read and tell stories to them. |
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Dancing Turtle, The: A Folktale from Brazil,  adapted by Pleasant Despain. (1998 - Ages 4-8)
Turtle loves to dance and play the flute. But her exuberance puts her at risk when her music attracts the attention of a hunter who brings her home for turtle stew. |
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My Mama Had A Dancing Heart (Orchard Paperbacks) by Libba Gray with Raul Colon (illus). (1999 - Ages 4-8)
In spring, summer, fall and winter, a mother leads her young daughter in dancing a celebratory ballet, a hymn to the season. When the girl is older, she is a ballerina and remembers that her mother gave her a dancing heart.
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Oliver Button Is a Sissy by Tomie dePaola. (1979 - Ages 4-8)
A little boy must come to terms with being teased and ostracized because he’d rather read books, paint pictures, and tap-dance than participate in sports. “There is a good balance between the simple text . . . and the expressive pictures . . . an attractive little book.”-
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Rhinoceros Tap: 15 Seriously Silly Songs (Book & CD) by Sandra Boynton with Michael Ford (composer). (2004 - Ages 4-8) (Hardcover book)
Redesigned. Reformatted. Remastered. Rhinoceros Tap returns in an all-new package to mirror Philadephia Chickens, with a spiffy audio CD. Written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton and with music by Boynton and Michael Ford, the same team that created Philadelphia Chickens, it's a read-along, sing-along, dance-along, oink-along collection of truly delightful children's music. |
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Story of the Nutcracker Ballet, The (Pictureback(R)) by Diane Goode (illus). (1986 - Ages 4-8)
Illus. in full color. The magic of the beloved ballet is captured in this affordable edition. Art by a Caldecott Honor Book artist complements a succinct narration that is ideal for young children.
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Sugar Plum Ballerinas #1: Plum Fantastic (Sugar Plum Ballerinas) by Whoopi Goldberg and Deborah Underwood with Nancy Cato (illus). (2008 - Ages 4-8)
Life is hard when you're the new ballerina on the block, and it's even harder when you're chosen to be the Sugar Plum Fairy in the school recital! Not only is Al a terrible dancer, but she's also got a rotten case of stage fright! Al's ballet classmates are going to have to use all the plum power they've got to coach this scary fairy
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Twelve Dancing Princesses, The (Mulberry Books) by Marianna Mayer with Kinuko Y. Craft (illus). (1998 - Ages 4-8)
For generations, children have loved the enchanting story of the twelve beautiful princesses and the handsome young lad who solves the mystery of their tattered shoes. This book brings to life all the splendor and romance of this beloved classic, from the dazzling forests of silver, gold, and diamonds to a twilight palace where the bewitched princesses dance to hypnotic music. |
Ages 9-12
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Dancing Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. (1994 - Ages 9-12)
Aunt Cora is determined to turn two orphans, perky Hilary and sullen Rachel, into members of her dance troupe. But Rachel wants to keep Hilary from being one of Wintle’s Little Wonders—is it selfishness or something else? Misunderstandings and a spoiled cousin come together for a tale full of high drama. Originally published in 1957.
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Young Adult
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The Dead Girls' Dance (The Morganville Vampires, Book 2) by Rachel Caine. (2007 - Young Adult)
Claire has her share of challenges. Like being a genius in a school that favors beauty over brains; homicidal girls in her dorm, and finding out that her college town is overrun with the living dead. On the up side, she has a new boyfriend with a vampire-hunting dad. But when a local fraternity throws the Dead Girls' Dance, hell is really going to break loose. |
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AUDIO / CD RESOURCES
CD and Audio titles are blue and underlined. Click on them for further information about the products and how to buy them.
Alphabetized with short descriptions for your convenience.
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Rhinoceros Tap: 15 Seriously Silly Songs (Book & CD) by Sandra Boynton with Michael Ford (composer). (2004 - Ages 4-8) (CD)
There's "O, Lonely Peas," to appeal to the finicky young eater. The five-year-old's lament, "Bad Babies" ("They whine and they bite, they chew on your toys/And oh, do they make the most terrible noise"). "Tickle Time." "The Crabby Song." A mouse's impassioned ballad to his beloved, "I Love You More Than Cheese." And "Barnyard Dance," the song that was launched by the board book dear to the hearts of more than a million young readers. |
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Sesame Street - The Best of Elmo
by Sesame Street. (2001)
The Sesame Street character has fun singing some catchy new songs (you and your toddler just might, too), explaining the difference between light and heavy, having a laugh over pictures and numbers, and sharing the screen with a good-natured Whoopi Goldberg and Julia Roberts. |
TOYS, GAMES, GIFTS and COSTUMES
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• Angelina Ballerina Book & Doll Set (Angelina Ballerina) by Katharine Holabird with Helen Craig (illus). (2006 - Ages 4-8)
This bright and beautiful Angelina Ballerina book and doll set features the full-size hardcover edition of the original Angelina Ballerina picture book, as well as a soft, huggable 9-inch Angelina plush doll. The highquality doll features details like a satin tutu and posable arms and legs, so Angelina can hold any dancer’s position. Little ballerinas will love having an Angelina doll to call their own/
• Charm It Dance Charm Gift Set - Multicolored
Live it Love it Charm it! Grab this gift box for that little one you find utterly charming! The set includes an adjustable bracelet and five charms for your little prima. The colors and pretty gift striped gift box are sure to be the hit of the party! Features: Blinged out Dance Dance Heart Leotard and Toe Shoes Sparkly Flower and pair of glittery Toe Shoes charms.Keepsake Box Included!
• Nao by Lladro "The Dance is Over" Figurine
Sweeping curves define this exquisitely crafted, strikingly elegant hand painted ballerina. 12 1/2". Nao by Lladro "The Dance is Over" Figurine.
• Recital Musical Treasure Box, The
Specially designed to be cherished for years, this Treasure Box features beautiful illustrations in a gentle wash of patterns and colors. It has hinged top, an inside mirror and lovely velvet-flocked paper lining. There are also plenty of nifty drawers for stashing your little secrets. Plays music from Swan Lake.
JEWELRY
• Earrings, 'Dancing Skeleton' 1" W 2.4" L
Handmade by Alfredo Inga
Ships from Peru within 10 days
Hook earrings
NOVICA, in association with National Geographic, offers thousands of limited edition and one-of-a-kind gifts, jewelry, and home decor treasures handmade by master artists and artisans throughout the world. Working in silver filigree, Alfredo Inga crafts whimsical earrings. The jointed skeleton wears a hat and seems to dance with every movement. .950 rating silver Artisan Info: Alfredo Inga was born on July 18, 1960, in Catacao in northern Peru, considered the "City of Filigree." At the age of eleven, he began to learn the art with friends who taught him little by little. "I enjoyed it because a jeweler's work is a delicate art, and I was able to create beautiful pieces for women," the artist recalls. "My inspiration comes from nature, especially from flowers. First I design a piece, then I carefully craft it." After winning a prize for his jewelry, Sr. Inga was awarded a scholarship to study with a professor from Israel. "I really enjoyed the course because I learned new and different techniques. I was one of the best students, and they offered me the chance to teach the art of filigree in Israel. But I love Peru too much to leave. I decided to stay here, near my family, and carry on the craft."
• Graduate Dance Italian Charms Bracelet Link
This feel good charm has a young female graduate dancing happily at her graduation. The new X2 version charm is a finer high quality charm Crafted and authenticated by Pugster Inc.
• Sport Tap Dance Shoes Italian Charms Bracelet Link
Express your own unique style by customizing your Italian charms bracelets! Pugster offers an array of exquisite & unique designed Italian Charms bracelets which is the ideal choice for any occasion. This Italian Charms Bracelet is a great addition for your dynamic charm collection. Crafted of the finest stainless steel, this Italian Charms bracelet is absolutely an attention grabber. The stainless steel tap dance shoes Italian charms bracelet measures an easy length of ~9mm, height of ~9mm and thickness of ~3.2mm. Crafted and authenticated by Pugster Inc. This tap dance shoes hobby Italian charms bracelet is available for both retail and wholesale purchase through our store.
• Sterling Silver Ballet Slipper Charm with 20 inch Sterling Silver Chain
Sterling Silver Ballet Slipper Charm with high polished 20 Inch Sterling Silver Snake Chain - This sturdy Sterling Silver Chain alone is a $16.00 value and stamped 925 Sterling - Picture shown above is not actual size, it is to showcase the fine craftsmanship and quality.
• Sterling Silver Sing, Live, Dance, and Love Charm Necklace
The inspirational messages on these miniature sterling silver charms remind us to sing, live, dance, and love as if today were the most special day of all (it is!). Turn over each word to find the message completed on the back. The sweet 3/4" charms come on an adjustable 18" sterling silver snake chain with 4" extender. Nickle-free sterling silver. Made in New Mexico, USA.
ONLINE LINKS
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Click on the links below to go to the Internet. There may be full-text stories, bones and/or infomation at each of the online links.
Alphabetized for your convenience.
• American Folklore: Texas State Folktale
http://www.americanfolklore.net/folktales/tx3.html
• Australian Dance
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/dance/
• Ballet in Western Cullture by Carol Lee
http://tinyurl.com/9qqus9
• Ballet Review; Romance and Folk Tales in a Troupe from Taiwan from the New York Times
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0CE4DB1131F930A15750C0A96F958260
• Bibliography of Dance Picture Books and others, mostly ballet; a few mention feet or toes in the title
http://wpl.lib.ri.us/bibdance.htm
• Cap O Rushes
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/salt.html#rushes
• CJHS students interpret stories through dance from LJWorld.com
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/dec/09/cjhs-students-interpret-stories-through-dance
• Dance Stories
http://www.dance-kids.org/dancestories/dancestories.html
• Dance Story Shorts from Dance4America
http://www.conseildesarts.ca/development/danceontour/companies/rw127248902208906250.htm
• Earlier Days of Dancing by Elfriede Fischer Rowe, Lawrence, Kansas, ca. 1960
http://www.kansasfolk.org/stories/sp00100.htm
• Israeli Dance Stories
http://www.israelidances.com/dancestories-index.htm
• Looking for dance stories from Sur La Lune.
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/boardarchives/2004/aug2004/lookingdancestories.html
• Origin Of The Pleiades And The Pine
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/motc/motc010.htm
• Royal Danish Ballet dances folktales
http://www.piao.com.cn/en_piao/ticket_1894.html
• Sacred Circle Dance Library, Touchstone Farm, Center of Sacred Dance
http://www.sacredcircles.com/THEDANCE/HTML/LISTENTC.HTM
• Sarah Chase Dance Stories from Dance on Tour Canadian Directory
http://www.conseildesarts.ca/development/danceontour/companies/rw127248902208906250.htm
• Sing Me Your Story, Dance Me Home from the Ojai Post.
http://www.ojaipost.com/2008/11/sing_me_your_story_dance_me_ho.shtml
• Stealing of the Drum, The a story from Ghana, Africa.
Available in the Story-Lovers book, An Enchanted Garden of Seeds and Stories, 2006. Contact jackie@story-lovers.com.
• Yiddish Dance Stories
http://www.yiddishdance.com/dance_stories.html
INPUT FROM STORYTELLERS (SOS)
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1) I've just started telling El Conejito, a Panamanian folktale from Margaret Read MacDonald's Shake-It-Up Tales! (Another great resource from MRM, by the way!). Conejito (little Rabbit) goes to visit his Auntie Monica who loves to eat and loves to dance. On the way up the mountain he keeps on singing a song about her :
I have a sweet old Auntie, my Tia Monica
And when she goes out dancing, they all say Ooh, La La!
As he gets caught up in the song he bumps into Senor Zorro (Fox), Tigre and Leon and persuades each of them to eat him when he comes back after Tia Monica feeds up up to be "fat as a butterball" It's a fun story with lots of great Spanish phrases and at the end, the song expands to dance movements.
2) Another story from a Margaret Read MacDonald collection, Twenty Tellable Tales: Audience Participation Folktales for the Beginning Storyteller , is Roly Poly Rice Ball in which the mice dance for the kind old man - again there's a song that goes with it: "When the cat is far away, flowers will bloom, flowers will bloom - in the mouse country, the mouse country."
Also in Troubadour's Storybag: Musical Folktales of the World , there are several stories with dance in the title:
The Shoes that were danced to pieces (Germany)
The Dancing Sheriff (United States)
The Dance of the Monkey and Sparrow (Japan)
Where the Mice Danced (U.S.)
And - from Heather Forrest's Wisdom Tales from Around the World (World Storytelling) there's The Dancing Lass of Anglesey
(Scotland)
3) Ming Lo Moves the Mountain retold by Arnold Lobel is a story set in China. Ming Lo complains because his house is in the shadow of the mountain. The wise man tells him to take his house apart, put it on his back and do a moving the mountain dance. One step forward, two steps back, side step, step back and then repeat. When he finishes and puts his house back together, the mountain has moved! Don't forget all the many Cinderella variants!
4) I have seen Jean Jackman do a version of the Fox and the Crow. The Fox claims to be a movie producer and
is looking for talent that can sing and dance. . . Could have a message about performing of all kinds, need to
keep your head and pay attention to what you are doing. . .
5) I've done a "dancesish" story of one of the stories in Margaret MacDonald's book Twenty Tellable Tales: Audience Participation Folktales for the Beginning Storyteller and the story is Coyote's Crying Song. A little bird is out gathering grass, but cuts her foot on a sharp weed. She jumps around, cries and blows her cut foot. Coyote hears this, and wants the bird "to sing that lovely song again" or he will eat her up. So the bird sings and "dances"again. Coyote leaves singing and dancing - but trips, and forgets how the song was. He returns twice, but the third time the bird has mas a "fake bird" of grass on a stone. Coyote tries to get the stone bird to sing, but when it remains silent he finally eats it up - and digs his teeth in the stone. After that you can hear a new "lovely song", when coyote jumps around in agony.
6) The Bonnie Lass of Anglesey is the right title of the Child ballad . you can find the words on the internet
together with the tune .
7) I've got an amazing tale to tell you. Can't believe it myself, but stranger things have happened, I guess.
I've been talking on the Internet to a folklorist friend of mine who just got back from New Guinea where he had been trying to witness a very famous (and rare) native dance known as the Butcher Dance. He'd been trying for decades (40 years actually) to find and document the dance and it was an unbelievable series of "coincidences" that got in the way of his search at just about every step. Every time he thought he was in a position to finally, at least, SEE the thing, = something'd happen and the performers wouldn't show up or any of 20 other really stupid things would go down and the dance wouldn't come off.
Well, he finally gave up hope of ever finding the dance. And he'd hauled cameras all over the New Guinea jungles which still have head hunter tribes that have never seen anybody from the outside world. After a while he'd even quit thinking about the dance. But one day just a few months ago, on Public Radio, there was an interview with a guy who said he had actually seen the dance done in an area of New Guinea that was actually quite easy to get to. My friend had never thought about looking for it that close to a big city where everything was, supposedly, known about the people of the area. All the songs had been documented on tape. Many had been issued on commercial recordings. All the dances of the place had been filmed and video-taped over and over again. It, just didn't seem possible the Butcher Dance was there and easily accessible.
He went nuts and sold everything he had to get back to New Guinea. Had to see this for himself. So he took all of his cameras and recording stuff to the native place (town) where it was said the dance had been actually seen. To make a long story shorter, when he got there he was told by the powers that be that he'd come at the wrong time of the year---that the dance is only done in the middle of summer, and then only on one particular day!
Pretty much blown out of the water again, he went over to the coast, took a small apartment, and hung out for 6 months. When it was close to the proper time to see the dance, he again took all his stuff back to the village. he waited and waited for the sun to sink lower. (It was supposed to happen shortly after sundown, from what he was told by the head man.) At about ten o'clock that night, a few hours after sundown actually, a chanting could be heard in the distance. Seems the dancers were parading into town as they chanted. Getting behind the camera and activating the microphones, he started everything rolling just as the dancers came from behind the head man's thatched house. My friend, Bill Clancy, (I should of told you before), was amazed he was FINALLY gonna see the damn dance he'd spent most of his life trying to experience! The dancers snaked into the firelight from the dark of the cool night air. This was it. As they danced, they chanted, "Ya butcher right foot in, Ya butcher right foot out, Ya butcher right foot in, And ya shake it all about..." !
8) I just got the picture book from the library, and the "greats" loved it. I got home last Monday because they kept asking me to read "one more story." (They even liked the Dick and Jane book I bought for my own nostalgia). The book described the dance as "put your left foot in the place behind your right foot, then put your right foot in the place behind your left foot." I don't think they "got" it until I had them face me and do the "dance." Then those wonderful lights went on in their faces.
9) How about Anansi's Hat Shaking Dance? It's in Courlander, I believe.
10) That reminds me of Coyote Dances with the Stars. I heard Lynn Morooney tell it. I believe it has Cherokee origins. Coyote is a great dancer but when he asks the blue and red star to bring him into the night sky they scoff at him because they know he can't possibly dance until the sun rises. The gold star likes Coyote and brings him up in the sky to dance. But, coyote shows his dance moves off too much and becomes tired. Right before dawn he falls from the sky to form the Great Lakes, or, some say, the Grand Canyon. Whatever, since then, when a star brings coyote up to the sky and he falls, and that's why we have falling stars.
I know you said you didn't want "book" stories. I've never know whether Arnold Lobel's stories in Fables are original fables or rewrites, but there is a killer dance story in there. Very short. It's called The Camel Dances. I love it because it says sooooo much about following your passion. It sort of reminds me of the little guy on American Idol - the Asian fellow (she-bang; she-bang) who, by most standards can't sing, but he followed his heart....and look where he is today! Anyway, his is the SAME story (only with dance)!!!!
14) And then there's The Dancing Granny, an African folktale adapted by Ashley Bryan.
15) The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces. In the The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales . It's been published as a picture book titled The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Marianna Mayer.
The Weeping Lass at the Dancing Place. Scottish folktale, found collected in Thistle and Thyme: Tales and Legends from Scotland by Sorche Mac Leodhas.
Cinderella contains a dance.
There's one of the fairy tales in which the magical gimmick is once enchanted, someone can't stop dancing until the hero permits it. I can't remember now which one it is.
16) Ballet offers some wonderful stories which I use pretty successfully in my dance program.
The Firebird and Other Russian Fairy Tales is always a knockout. It's also a folktale & so many versions have been printed & recorded so it's free to tell, including a few beautiful picture books. Some plot variations, below is bones of what I tell from various sources.:
Bones: Prince Ivan grows up being told never to go into the dark forest. He also hears the stories of a wonderful treasure deep in the forest. Naturally as soon as he grows old enough, he goes into the forest. Dark & darker it grows until he sees a shadow of a man ahead. He calls, no answer. When Ivan gets closer, he sees man is a statue of stone - very realistic, caught in the moment of patting a dog. Ivan goes deeper, sees more statues, feels overwhelming dread. Suddenly brilliant light, warmth - a beautiful bird flies over his head. So beautiful that he feels he must capture it. Bird & hunter struggle. Exhausted bird finally says I will die in a cage,, let me go. Prince frees bird, bird gives prince one feather. "Use this to call me in your moment of direst need." Flies away. Prince goes deeper into forest, more statues - all lifelike, sees great wall of castle. Suddently, beautiful music & light, princesses dancing out of the castle. He hides behind tree, watches them dance, falls in love with one. Reveals himself, they dance, she falls in love, too. Ground begins to shake. Princess says "Fly! Ogre who owns castle turns men to stone & captures princesses." Prince doesn't flee. Ogre's servants, goblins, descend & attack. Ogre arrives. Begins turning Prince into stone. Prince finally remembers Firebirds' feather. Instantly bird appears, singing of light, beauty & love. Bird's magic forces goblins & ogre to dance, faster & faster till collapse. Ogre is still conscious just paralyzed. Prince raises sword to kill ogre. Ogre laughs, "you cannot kill me. My heart is not in my body." (motif sighting). Prince runs around looking for heart, ogre gains more & more movement. Prince finds heart, egg in tree. Squeezes egg. Ogre dies. Light returns to forest. Statue men come back to life. All leave forest for Prince's castle. Wedding.
17) Nobody mentioned The Red Shoes . Does anybody tell it, or is it too sad & weird anymore?
From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 3. The only elements of Andersen's story that Bazilian retains here are the name of the heroine and the coveted red shoes. Karen saves her spending money to purchase the shoes, and the shoemaker warns her to be careful about what she wishes. She dances brilliantly in the shoes but is troubled that it is increasingly difficult to remove them. Finally, after the ball where she dances all night, she cannot remove them, and she cannot stop dancing. Exhausted and frightened, Karen approaches a cliff and wishes to become a bird. Her wish is granted, and when she returns to her grandmother, she repents her vanity and is restored. The character of the shoemaker is ambiguous: is he intended to be malevolent or is he an agent of punishment, a cautionary figure? Readers are given no reason why the girl's wish to become a bird would be granted but not her desire to stop dancing. The artwork is packed with significant details, such as a ribbon motif running through many of the illustrations and the background presence of the shoemaker, who bears a disturbing resemblance to Andersen. Bazilian's tale bears so little resemblance to the original that one wonders why the reteller bothered to use it at all.?Donna L. Scanlon, Lancaster County Library, PA
Response: I tell a version of The Red Shoes as one of the stories in my 'drugs and alcohol awareness' program. It's a harsh story with harsh consequences but certainly has it place. I embellish the story and use a form of call and response. Whenever I say 'red', the audience has to say 'shoes'. Throughout the story I emphasize her poor choice making skills that lead her into harms way. Each bad decision leads her to make more poor choices. For example: "If I take this key, unlock the door just to stand in the same room and admire the red shoes up close, no one will ever know except me. She reasons, I'll put the key back as soon as I am done with it and no one will know about it except me. Even though she felt a funny feeling in her stomach, she ignored the feeling, snuck into her mother's room and eased the key from the jewelry box." When telling to younger kids in grades 3rd and lower, the girl gets her feet chopped off, but her feet grow back in the sunlight streaming down upon her. (That's the miracle of story) When telling to older students, the girl loses her feet and ends with humor. The kids really enjoy responding with shoes, but eventually get so woundinto the story, they forget to say shoes or will say shoes at an unexpected moment.
Also: The Little Mermaid & The Red Shoes (Hans Andersen Fairy Tales) by John Patience.
The Complete Hans Christian Andersen Fairy Tales .
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18) Query: I am looking for Dance/Movement Stories for an event at at my psych hospital the day after Thanksgiving. The patient are geriatric, as well as younger adults with cognitive impairments, or long-term low-motivation patients mostly with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Book sugestions are welcome but I am broke and have no budget so whole stories or weblinks to such would be much appreciate.
Philip D. 9/16/06
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Response: There is a wonderful book that I *have* to recommend - The Dancing Man by Ruth Lercher Bornstein.
Skip M. 9/16/06
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Response: There is also a great little story in Arnold Lobel's Fables . I'm sure you can find it at your library. It's about a camel who has a burning desire to dance. All the animals laugh because camels don't dance. But he perseveres and does dance. You can add a few dance steps into the telling. It's short, easy, funny and poignant. It speaks to all who desire to do something and get laughed at...but keep right on doing what their heart desires.
I also love The Dancing Man , but I've never told it. It is a great story. I've heard others tell it, but it's been a while.
Marilyn K. 9/16/06
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Response: There is a picture book called Giraffes Can't Dance , written by Giles Andreae, illustrated by Guy Parker-Rees.
Mary K.C. 9/16/06
19) The Wood Maiden (Czech) is a good story. I found it in Kathleen Ragan's Fearless Girls, Wise Women & Beloved Sisters: Heroines in Folktales from Around the World . Interestingly, the folk character is called a vjela, just like Rowling's dangerous dancing girls.
Cris R. 12/28/08
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(This web page
updated 4/30/04; 9/17/06; 1/29/08; 11/6/08; 12/28/08)
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FEATURED BOOK 
by Sandra Boynton. 
by Sarah Nathan (Adapter). (2008 - Ages 4-8) 
