Drumbeat in Our Feet

Alive with rhythm! Alive with color! Drumbeat in our Feet brings alive African Dance for young readers. It uses simple words and phrases that beat out the story of African Dance and colorful and action-filled illustrations that display its excitement and movements. Each page spread both shows and tells of a component of dance and each page spread includes a paragraph for teachers or parents to provide that component’s background. The book includes: origin of dance, spirits and ancestors, masked dancers, drums and drumbeat signals, types of dances, ‘call-and-response’ dances, costumes and more. The book also introduces the Harlem, New York-based Batoto Yetu dance troupe that performs around the world.

Drumbeat in our Feet is a great way to introduce African Dance. Readers will want to stand up and dance, and move their bodies to express themselves; the book helps them understand that their movements have value and worth. The book will help those of African ancestry connect with their roots.