Arts, Music & Photography

“A visually stunning and interactive” pandemic creation from an award-winning dance teacher and her ballerina daughter, both immersed in the ballet world until coronavirus.

Dancing Shapes is a 2021 Independent Press Award Winner.

The book provides an inside gorgeous glimpse into one ballerina’s journey. Konora, whose career has been sidelined by COVID-19, leads readers through warm-up steps, a basic ballet technique lesson, and an exploration of movement and form.

With more than fifty poses to contemplate or re-create, aspiring young dancers:
* learn basic ballet technique and vocabulary
* develop an eye for detail
* explore movement concepts
* increase body awareness
* strengthen spatial perception and balance
* celebrate gratitude, the value of practice, and making healthy choices

What Moms and Dads Said:
Gorgeous! Inspirational! Dancing girls alllllll over my backyard!!!

…while looking at the cover with all those poses said, “I can do that one. I can’t do that one. I can do that one. I can’t do that one…” Then she started trying them. The pictures alone inspired her…

As soon as we read something like, “Can you try…” she would hop right up and try it…

She thinks the book is just right for her age [9], not too young or old feeling…

[This 11-year old] thought it was easy to follow and liked all the interesting shape pictures, she liked that there were “challenges” to try…

About the Author:
Konora climbed the pre-professional ballet ladder up to Pacific Northwest Ballet’s Professional Division. Along the way, she danced iconic roles such as Sugar Plum Fairy and Cinderella. She’s now a full-scholarship trainee at Ballet Idaho.

Konora’s mother taught creative movement and ballet for decades and was honored to be chosen and recognized by her local City Council (2014) for embodying the spirit of partnership and commitment to children in our community for her work with young dancers. She’s breathed dance from every angle: child to pre-professional to adult ballet student, zoom student, dance teacher, dance mom, competition mom, ballet-school parent-guilder, audience member, recital planner, business owner, and board member.

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Emma Rayne Lyle is a child actress best known for her roles as ‘Bridget’ in the feature film “Jessica Darling’s It List”, ‘Nicole Bloom’ in the feature film “Why Stop Now”, and Emily Reddy in the feature film I Don’t Know How She Does It which earned her the Young Artist Award as Best Young Actress Age Ten and Under.

She’s worked with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Emma and her mother Nyna have been working side by side in the film and television business for the last ten years and they have learned a thing or two about the industry.

Together they created an acting book written specifically for kids who want to become actors but don’t know how. Many of the “how to be an actor books” are written by agents, acting coaches and managers – people who have not experienced what it is like to be the parent of a child actor and who have not been a child actor. Many acting books are full of useless text and fluff and by the time you finish the book, you still have no idea where to start.

Ain’t nobody got time for that! Especially moms and dads.

This little book is chockfull and let’s your little one know that no matter where they live, they can be an actor too.

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