This Is Rhythm! This Is Tap!

I was three or four years old when I put on my first pair of tap shoes, wearing them at least weekly for the next 15 or so years. Even when I wasn't wearing them, I was tapping. Tapping at the bus stop, under my desk at school, even in the grocery store--relishing in the rhythms I was making and memorizing the steps so I wouldn't have to think about them anymore when the music started playing in class.

Gregory Hines is the tap legend I've always known best, in part from his captivating performances in the 1985 dance film White Nights (which co-starred Mikhail Baryshnikov and was choreographed by Twyla Tharp). If you haven't seen it and have a few minutes, I highly recommend this clip of a Gregory Hines tap solo from the film... 

Gregory Hines was a master of rhythm tap, which is different from what I learned as a child, and different from what you usually see at a traditional dance recital or musical theatre performance. In rhythm tap, the dancer's center of gravity is a little lower, and the emphasis is much more on the feet and the sounds they make than on anything else, including what the dance looks like. It's literally "music" through movement.

The most famous rhythm tapper performing today is Savion Glover, and I can't tell you how excited I am that Holiday House has published a picture book biography about him! 

This Is Tap: Savion Glover Finds His Funk, by Selene Castrovilla and Laura Freeman, not only tells the story of how Savion's natural knack and passion for rhythm propelled him to stardom but also serves as an intuitive introduction to rhythm tap. 

Full of lyrical language and onomatopoeia, the words on the pages--with all their rhythms and sounds--are the perfect embodiment of this dance style. And the illustrations, ranging from a bouncing baby Savion to an adult Savion combining the funk of hip-hop with all those beats in his body, focus on the feet and boost the energy of the already boisterous text...  

Hittin' meant expressin' yourself with your feet  

Makin' a statement  

When the audience picked up on what you were putting' down, you hit  

RIFFITY, SPIFFITY, BOMPITY, ROMPITY,   

CLAP, CLAP, CLAP!

While preparing to write this post, I learned that Savion Glover was actually a regular on Sesame Street from 1990 to 1995. That means there's probably a whole bunch of lucky 30-something-year-olds out there who grew up with Savion...and tap dancing! That makes me so happy. 

In case you'd like to see Savion Glover in action, or simply feel like reminiscing about Sesame Street, I'm going to leave you with a few videos. The first is of a young Savion playing a rhyming game in which he rhymes/raps while dancing out a bunch of words that rhyme with "tap." It's adorable...and infectious!

The second video, also from Sesame Street, stars both Savion Glover AND Gregory Hines, who was one of Savion's teachers. What a treat to see two generations of tap legends together on--in my humble opinion--the best children's show ever created...

And the final video is a clip of a more mature Savion Glover dancing, in 2002, with the cast of the Tony Award-winning musical Bring in 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk during a telethon for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Wowza!

Learn more about This Is Tap: Savion Glover Finds His Funk from publisher Holiday House here. You can also read this blog post from the University of Michigan's University Musical Society for a brief introduction to the very interesting, but complex, history of tap dance in America. 

An Interview with Author Sarah Lynn

This week author Sarah Lynn is celebrating the release of her third picture book -- 1-2-3 Va-Va-Vroom! She's here today to talk about writing and her experiences with different types of publishers. Sarah's second picture book, Tip-Tap Pop, has a tap dance theme, so I was also curious about her background in dance. Congratulations, Sarah, and thanks for joining us today!

It seems that you are a very busy woman -- filling your days as a clinical social worker, school counselor, owner of a small private practice, and mom. Yet you still have three picture books under your belt. How do you find the time to write?

I have to be honest and say that I do struggle with finding time to write. I’ve always used the precious time after my children are in bed as my writing time, but I am finding it harder as they get older. They have later bedtimes now, and I find myself more emotionally, physically, and intellectually depleted in the evenings.

I actually think it’s not just about finding “time.” It’s about finding time when my mind is clear. My brain has to be fresh and open for me to create. I’m finding this more difficult as time goes on, but writing is important to me, and so I am determined to find a way to make it happen. I try to jot down notes when I have ideas. I bring these notes to soccer practice or outside when my kids are playing in the backyard. Most of the time I don’t even glance at the notes, but I know I have them there in case another idea presents itself.

I have two confessions, though. I’ll admit that my aforementioned jobs are all part time -- about 32 hours total for the week. It’s my grand attempt at being as involved in my own children’s lives as possible, while still bringing in an income. My second confession is that my laundry piles up awfully high. Writing is a great way to procrastinate household chores!

No worries. My laundry piles are always way too high, too! Aside from your many jobs, you also seem to have a strong and eclectic background in dance. Can you tell us a little more about that? And is dance still a part of your life?

For much of my childhood, dance was the source of my passion. I felt a love for dance that enlivened me. My primary love was ballet, but I also did hip hop, tap, modern, and jazz. I trained hard and long, I went away for the summers to train in Texas and Pennsylvania. When I graduated from high school, I felt as if I needed to make a decision -- to be a professional ballet dancer or to go to college?

Looking back, it might not have had to be so cut and dry, but in my mind I had to make a choice. I decided to go to college and stop dancing. At that time I completely stopped dancing. I’d loved it so much and had been so dedicated that I felt it would be painful to just do it for fun. I knew I wouldn’t be as strong or my technique as good.

After about five years, I did go back and take some adult classes for fun. I caught the eye of the studio owner, and she asked me to teach “baby ballet” on Saturdays and adult classes in the evenings after work. Once I had my own children, though, I stopped that as well. There just aren’t enough hours in the day. I miss it.

I can really see your love of dance shining through in your writing. Tip-Tap Pop has such a beautiful rhythmic quality, even though it is not written in rhyme. Do you think your dance training contributes to the rhythm in your writing?

Yes! My tap dance teacher always spoke our tap dance steps in perfect tap dance rhythm. I can still hear her voice in my head. My ballet teachers always used their hands to demonstrate the ballet moves, I can still see that in my head as well. When I listen to music, I can visualize choreography.

Are there any other ways that dance has influenced your writing?

I love the way dance tells a story. I love the way movements and facial expressions can convey emotion. Dancing is the epitome of “show, don’t tell.” Beautiful language and the imagery of words can be equally lyrical.

Your first two books were published in two very different ways. Frankie and the BigSquish was published as an iPhone App by iStoryTime, and Tip-Tap Pop was published by the traditional trade publisher Marshall Cavendish. What were some of the differences in these two publication experiences?

The experiences were very different. I had gotten a couple revision requests for Frankie and the Big Squish from a mainstream publisher. Despite my revisions, they decided not to publish. When I heard about iStoryTime company, I thought it would be fun to submit this story, since I didn’t feel I’d find a traditional house to publish it. They accepted my story but told me I needed to find my own illustrator. There was no advance for this endeavor. The contract states that once the story sold enough copies, I would begin to earn royalties. However, this has never happened. I look at this option as another way of sharing a story with the world, but for me, at least, it did not bring in any income.

With Tip Tap Pop, I was paid an advance. I will earn royalties if the book earns out my advance. They found the illustrator for me and helped me with editing. This was a fabulous experience. I love the illustrations in this story. I think the editor was brilliant in her choice of an illustrator, because the pictures add a light quirkiness to the mood of the book. This shows the benefit of traditional publishing, because this story would not have been the same without Valeria’s art work.

Were there any similarities between the two experiences?

There wasn’t much similar in the experiences, to be honest. The only main similarity is the feeling of excitement in seeing my words brought to life by an illustrator. That is amazing.

Your third book -- 1-2-3 Va-Va-Vroom! -- was just published by Amazon Children's Publishing. Since this is a fairly new publisher, I am guessing this experience was also unique? Could you tell us more about it?

Actually, I sold the book to Marshall Cavendish, to the same editor who’d purchased Tip-Tap Pop. Shortly after I sold the book, the Cavendish company was purchased by Amazon. My interactions with Amazon have been entirely positive. My editor is still with the company, and she’s lovely to work with. There have been some fun additions, though, like an “author relations manager,” who is my first contact when I have questions. She responds very quickly to emails (within the day), and that’s so nice.

Despite the fact that this is a very difficult time to break into the picture book market, you seem to have had a lot of success in different formats over the last couple of years. Any advice for all those aspiring authors out there?

Yes. It is difficult to break in, and it’s also difficult to publish again (even if you’ve already been published). This is a loving business, because people who create children’s books are accepting and wonderful and friendly and encouraging. However, it’s also a tough business because there’s so much rejection.

This is the advice I try to give myself. I try to remind myself that I write for myself. I enjoy it as an outlet, as a project, as a way to share experiences. I know that most of what I write will not be published. So if I’m only writing with the end goal of publication, I’ll be disappointed more often than not. If I’m writing with the goal of creating, having an outlet, enjoying the actual process of writing, then it’s a win-win. Of course I am thrilled when something winds up being published, but I try to make my motivation about more than that.

The other advice I have is to be open to feedback. Revise like it’s going out of style. Read in your genre as much as you can. Remember, it’s not just about writing something good. It has to be something marketable and different from what is already out there.

Thanks again, Sarah, for joining us and offering such wonderful insight and advice about the writing process! 

For more information about Sarah and her work, you can visit her website at http://www.sarahlynnbooks.com. To read my earlier review of Tip-Tap Pop, click here. Maria Hanley from Maria's Movers has also written a beautiful feature on Tip-Tap Pop here. 

An Interview with Author Ann Bonwill

Ann Bonwill is the author of three picture books, including Naughty Toes, which is about a spunky little girl who struggles to find her place in a classical ballet class. If you aren't familiar with the book and its characters, you might want to read my earlier post about it and then come back here for the following interview. Enjoy!


I'm so happy to have this chance to talk with you about your writing. What are some of the strategies you use to come up with fresh ideas for your books? And what was your initial inspiration for Naughty Toes?

My ideas bloom from a combination of observation and imagination. I collect ideas from everywhere, or as one little boy at a school visit put it, from the universe! Some of my books are inspired by nature, some by family and friends, and others, like Naughty Toes, by experiences in my own life. One day my editor mentioned that her childhood ballet teacher called unpointed toes "naughty toes." That phrase, along with my own memories of childhood dance classes, grew into Chloe's story.

  

What types of dance classes did you take as a child, and how did those experiences influence the book?

I took ballet, tap, and jazz. I stuck with ballet the longest, and really enjoyed it, though tap was lots of fun, too. Many of my dance class experiences are woven into this book. My father fixed my hair for class, just as Chloe's father does. And my ballet teacher was fond of talking about the spotlights on our hands as a way to get us to remember the proper hand positions. I wasn't a ballet natural like Belinda, but I wasn't quite as much of a disaster as Chloe either. I like to think that Chloe will come into her own in the world of tap, where her spirit can shine through in a unique and jazzy way.      

I love the name of the pianist in the book--Mr. Tiempo. It's sort of mysterious, yet somehow so appropriate for a musician. How did you choose his name? I’m hoping there’s a good story here!

Thanks! I love Mr. Tiempo's name, too. I started out thinking about the word "tempo," which is such an important facet of dance music. Then I added a little extra flare to come up with his name. Though it's not stated outright in the book, I think that Mr. Tiempo is the one who gives Chloe the tap shoes at the end. Some of my child readers agree, although others think that it might be Chloe's sister, her parents, or Madame Mina. One little girl even suggested that Chloe gave the shoes to herself -- I love that idea!

I saw that Naughty Toes has been published in the United Kingdom and the United States. Has it been published anywhere else? And out of curiosity, are the different editions all the same?

Naughty Toes has been published in the United Kingdom, the United States, Portugal, and Canada (in French). The main difference in the editions are the names. In my original story, which was first published in the United Kingdom, the main character's name was Trixie and her sister was Belinda. In the United States, their names changed to Chloe and Belinda. The Portuguese version features Beatriz and Aurora, and in French their names are Josephine and Isabella. The grown-ups names are the same, except in Portugal where they are called Madame Malvina and Sr. Wagner.  

Is it correct that all of the books you have published are picture books? If so, what is it that draws you to this particular genre?

Yes, so far I've had three picture books published in the United States, with four more on the way. I love the way that the pictures and the words combine to tell the story -- you can't have one without the other. I was so lucky to have Teresa Murfin illustrate my words in Naughty Toes. I think her artwork complements the spirit and style of the story perfectly. I have been fortunate to have similar matches in my other picture books, all of which differ in style but are brought to life through their art. Picture books are such an expressive medium. They beg to be read aloud, and they capture all of our senses. They can be read and enjoyed on so many different levels by people of all ages. And they are perfect for sharing.         

Are you working on any new picture book manuscripts right now? Any other book projects?

I have a new picture book coming out in January, I Don't Want to be a Pea!, which is about the friendship between a hippo and a bird and the compromises they make as they prepare to go to a costume party together. I also have a rhyming bedtime story on the way. I am currently working on a story about crocodiles, and I'm having fun playing with longer writing formats, including a middle grade novel.

Thanks so much for talking with us today. I can’t let you go without one more question related to dance, though. I read on your website that you still love to dance. Can you tell us a little more about the kind of dancing you do these days?

Yes, I do still love to dance! I mostly just do silly dances around the house with my son, but I also enjoy dancing with my husband. Our favorite dance is the swing. I'm still not terribly graceful, but I do have lots of enthusiasm!

To read more about Ann and her picture books, visit her website at www.annbonwill.com. And if you're curious how other picture book authors and illustrators come up with their ideas, check out Picture Book Idea Month (also known as PiBoIdMo), held each November at author Tara Lazar's blog Writing for Kids!

Good Toes or Naughty Toes?

I'm really enjoying the inaugural International Picture Book Month, which is celebrating my favorite kind of book throughout November. As part of the celebration, I want to share with you a new book from Tiger Tales--a small independent publisher that happens to only create picture books.

Naughty Toes, written by Ann Bonwill and illustrated by Teresa Murfin, was actually first published in April 2011 by Oxford University Press in the United Kingdom. Tiger Tales then published it a few months later, in September 2011, in the United States. Here's the cast of characters from the book:

• Chloe is the narrator and main character. She dances with gusto...but not with much grace. 
• Belinda is Chloe's big sister. She's a natural ballerina.
• Madame Mina is the girls' ballet teacher. She makes Belinda the star of the ballet show and casts poor Chloe as a rock!
• Mr. Tiempo plays the piano during ballet class. Chloe and her creative spirit make him smile again and again.

"Float like clouds!" says Madame Mina, and I spin around the room like a dust cloud, clap like a thundercloud, whoosh like a rain cloud...SMACK! straight into Anthony. "What were you thinking?" asks Madame Mina. "I was a cloud with gusto," I say. Before I hang my head, I think I see Mr. Tiempo smiling.

It is clear from the start of the book--even before ballet class begins--that Chloe might not be the perfect candidate for a ballerina. She prefers a purple and green leotard over a classic pink one, and her fuzzy hair just doesn't want to be wrapped up neatly into a bun. 

As the book continues, it becomes more and more apparent that Chloe is out of her element. But Chloe also becomes more and more comfortable and confident with that fact. By the end of the book, with help from a secret supporter, she realizes that instead of a ballerina she is actually a tap dancer!

The art by Teresa Murfin nicely complements the text and the unique qualities Chloe possesses. Murfin apparently gets some of her inspiration from papers and fabrics, which show up in the tutus of some of the dancers and in other objects, like Mr. Tiemp's piano bench and a bouquet that Belinda receives after the girls' ballet show. 

I would love to see more of Murfin's art, which mixes her paper-and-fabric style with interestingly proportioned drawings of the characters. I'm also curious to find out what happens next to Chloe, as she starts her new tap class. I guess I will have to hope for a sequel!

If you want to learn more about author Ann Bonwill's inspirations for Naughty Toes, you can read my interview with her here. 

I Met Tomie dePaola...and Oliver Button!

On Saturday afternoon, I spent two and a half hours waiting in line at the National Book Festival to meet the one and only Tomie dePaola. Spending the afternoon in line probably doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun to most people, but it was actually one of the most memorable experiences I've had in a while. By the end of the two and a half hours, I felt a strong bond with the women near me in line--even if only for that one afternoon--over our mutual adoration for children's books.

One of the women was a first grade teacher, another a reading specialist. Several librarians, a middle school teacher, and a fellow writer surrounded me as well. Our conversations covered adult authors, children's authors, childhood memories of school and books, and the state of the education system in the United States today. And of course, there was Tomie dePaola.

Strega Nona is probably one of dePaola's best known books, but he has written or illustrated more than 200 others. The Art Lesson, Pancakes for Breakfast, and The Knight and the Dragon are just a few that I saw in the hands of people in line on Saturday. His newest book, Strega Nona's Gift, will be released next month.

Another of dePaola's books, which actually has a dance theme in it, is Oliver Button Is a Sissy. According to the information on the book's jacket, the problems Oliver Button faces in the story are not unfamiliar to dePaola himself.

The boys at school think Oliver is a sissy, and he doesn't like to do the things the other boys like to do. Even though his father wishes that he was good at playing ball, Oliver would rather be reading books, drawing pictures, playing with paper dolls, or dancing.

When Oliver's mother enrolls him in dancing school, Oliver gets a shiny new pair of tap shoes. The boys at school keep calling him a sissy, but Oliver keeps practicing and practicing his tapping. And when his dance teacher asks him if he would like to participate in the local talent show, Oliver practices even more. When the big day finally arrives, Oliver taps with pizazz. It's not enough to win the talent show, but Oliver wins something even more important to him--the respect of the other boys in town. Oliver's no longer a sissy in their eyes. Now he's a star!

Once I got to the front of the line to meet dePaola, I was as nervous as a little girl meeting her kindergarten teacher for the first time. I think I blabbered something about what an honor it was to meet him and about how I wished I had a copy of Oliver Button Is a Sissy with me for him to sign. I also remember one of his handlers telling me that a new video interview with dePaola will be posted on Reading Rockets soon. (You can read an older interview with him here, and I'll post the new one on my Facebook page once it becomes available.)

I actually had a camera with me at the festival but didn't think to take it out of my bag. Luckily, one of the festival volunteers asked if I would like a picture with dePaola, and one of my new friends snapped a quick photo of us with her camera. (Thanks, Famin!) The perfect ending to a perfect afternoon...

Shades of Blue in 'Tip-Tap Pop'

With so many picture books out there about ballet, it was refreshing to discover a relatively new picture book with a tap dance theme. But I have to admit that Tip-Tap Pop is not exactly what I expected.

When I think of tap, especially in the context of children, several words come to mind... "fun"... "noise"... and "smile" to name a few. When I first saw the adorable girl and her endearing grandfather on the cover of Tip-Tap Pop, those are some of the words that popped into my head. But the book -- written by Sarah Lynn and illustrated by the very talented Valeria Docampo -- also has a much more serious (even melancholy at times) theme.

The book does begin on a happy note. Emma's Pop had taught her to tap dance when she was very small, and the two still love to dance together -- back-flapping at the farmer's market, dig-shuffle-chugging through town, and putting on a special show for the family every year on Emma's birthday.

But one year, as summer Popsicles melted down sticky fingers, slowly...Pop stopped dancing. Soon, Pop forgot his reading glasses. He forgot to walk the dog. He even forgot Emma's birthday.

As Pop forgets more and more, Emma doesn't feel like dancing anymore. While the other students in her dance class continue to dig-chug-chug, she can only clunk-stomp-thud. But, as Emma realizes that she can use dance as a tool to stay connected to Pop, the hop in her step slowly returns.

I know that dance serves as a sort of therapy for me at times. If I'm too excited, it calms me down. If I'm feeling down, it excites me. If I'm just stressed out and need a break, it offers me that as well.

When I was in college, it took me a while to decide which career path to follow. I minored in psychology and was fully immersed in dance at the time, so for a brief period I considered going into the field of dance therapy.

The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) defines dance therapy as "the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration of individuals." In Tip-Tap Pop, I think dance served as a type of therapy for both Emma and Pop.

ADTA is an incredible source of information about dance therapy and its many applications, including the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. If you are interested in learning more about this, ADTA has an info sheet specifically on Dance/Movement Therapy & Alzheimer's Disease. The international medical journal Student BMJ has also published an overview of the topic.

Tip-Tap Pop would obviously be appropriate for a child with a grandparent who is suffering from any type of dementia, but it has characteristics that make it appealing to a much wider audience as well. For instance, the book is full of great tap dancing sounds, and I love how the author uses the sounds of Emma's feet to represent her mood. Another thing I like about this book is that it is realistic in showing that childhood isn't all fun and games...and that adults aren't the only ones who experience (and overcome) low points in their lives.

What first attracted me to the book and what impresses me the most about it are the illustrations. There is something about the prominent blues and greens in the gouache-and-pencil drawings that continue to draw me in. Maybe it's because these "cool" colors set such an appropriate tone for the book. The faces in the illustrations are also some of the most expressive I've seen. They make me feel like I am right there with Emma and Pop, feeling what they are feeling, in every scene...