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

Bibliography:

Singer, Marilyn and Kristi Valiant. Feel the Beat: Dance Poems that Zing from Salsa to Swing. New York: Dial Books, 2017. ISBN: 0803740212

Plot Summary:

In this multicultural celebration of dance, Marilyn Singer captures the rhythm and style of fifteen dances from across the globe. The journey begins with “All Over the World, Dancing is Joy” / “Joy is Dancing, All Over the World,” a poem that reads both forward and backwards on facing pages. From there, a young boy does the cha-cha at a family birthday party, a kid watches his dad breakdance in the street to hip hop, and a sister gazes in awe at her twin dancing the foxtrot in a fancy dress. Characters merengue at an island party, flunk the square dancing class in the school gym, and Laura joins in the hora at Zach’s bar mitzvah. We watch Isabel “under a samba spell” at Carnival, join Grandpa Jack for a Texas two-step at Bucky Jones Pub, then “show some sass” in salsa dance class, and light up the streets with an Argentine tango. Even being bored at the mall is a chance to form a conga line! Dancing is everywhere: a waltz in pajamas, the Bhangra at a colorful Indian wedding, a swing dance at the library, and finally, a hearty polka under a big striped tent.

Critical Analysis:

Music leaps off the pages of this rhythmic romp as Marilyn Singer takes the reader on a celebratory tour of dance. Each poem mimics the style of the dance. The waltz lilts in three-syllable lines: “In the gym, / I do vaults. / but I’m best / at the waltz” as the illustration depicts a boy dancing by himself in his pajamas. The tango’s longer lines end in rhyme, using similes to describe the mood of the dance: “Let’s try again / and so they do / Success, sweet as mango! / They’ve got the walk, / the catlike stalk / the Argentine tango!”

If readers are not familiar with the musical styles, they need only listen to the accompanying audio included with the book. Marylin Singer reads her poems to original musical accompaniment from composer Jonathan Roberts. This pairing brings the poems to life and gives young readers a sense of the musical styles while delighting them with fun and silly lyrics. While swing dancing at the library, for example, a stanza ends with “We found a book about a pug, / but tonight we’re here to jitterbug!”

Readers will laugh and learn the diverse musical styles through catchy rhymes and vivid illustrations by Kristi Valiant. The colorful painted illustrations burst with movement and joy as a multicultural cast of characters (diverse in both race and age) whirl across the pages. The characters’ costumes and cultural attire provide visual context for each dance, further illustrating the energy and vibe of the myriad forms of expression our world has to offer. The book closes with “Notes About the Dances” where Singer provides cultural background and details about the dances’ relevance, instrumentation, and history. Young readers will jump up and dance to this playful and fun musical experience.

Review Excerpts:

“The language and rhythm are precise, and each selection is written to the beat of that dance style without a single misstep. The text simply begs to be read aloud. The poems are told from the perspectives of those nervous to dance, those amazed by a dancer's agility and grace, and those downright disgusted with a gym class requirement: ‘I'm flunking out of square dance!’” School Library Journal 

"A celebration of the variety and global diversity of dance, and of how it can unite communities."  Publishers Weekly

"The message about how music and dance can unite us is a happy and timely one." Booklist

Connections:

Invite a dance instructor to the library for beginner dance lessons on diverse styles.

Gather other books multicultural books by Marilyn Singer:
Every Month is a New Year: Celebrations from Around the World. New York: Lee & Low Books, 2018. ISBN: 1620141620
A Full Moon is Rising. New York: Lee & Low Books, 2014. ISBN: 1620141965
Wild in the Streets: 20 Poems of City Animals. London: words & pictures, 2019. ISBN: 0711241708

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