Dr. Kristi Johnson, an EdD in KIN alum, published her first book titled, ABC Dance and Move With Me. This educational book is designed for children aged 1-5 and aims to enhance the interplay between movement and literacy in early childhood education. The book teaches movement, celebrates diversity in dance, and sparks curiosity among young readers.
Kristi was inspired to write her book after a conversation with a former student who was searching for a coloring book featuring dancers of different ethnicities, and her daughter’s love of dance. Kristi’s motivation for this work lies in the recognition that many young dancers possess a limited understanding of dance and view ballet as the standard. The book introduces a diverse array of dance styles through the alphabet where each letter represents a dance term or movement and widens young readers’ appreciation of dance as a multifaceted art form and significant cultural expression. Additionally, the illustrations in the book depict characters from underrepresented communities and fosters a more inclusive understanding of dance by highlighting various movement forms (i.e., hip-hop, African dance, jazz, creative movement, etc.). Kristi believes that when children see characters who reflect their cultural backgrounds and experiences, it affirms their identities and enhances their ability to envision their own futures.
Throughout the process of bringing her vision to life, Kristi found that it felt like choreographing. She states, “as a dancer and choreographer, I’m always working with movement, shapes, and visual storytelling, and this felt no different.” A challenged faced during the writing process included choosing the right dance term for each letter of the alphabet as “dance is a language of movement, but in a picture book, that movement has to be captured in a single image.” While fully embracing the process and its associated challenges, Kristi found the popular saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” to not be true as people absolutely judge books by their covers; her research found that the book cover is crucial for catching a reader’s attention whether they are in the bookstore or scrolling online.
As she reflects on the publication of her book, Kristi states it “feels surreal to go from an idea, a simple seed of inspiration to holding a fully realized picture book in my hands.” She is most proud of allowing herself to follow her instincts. Kristi hopes that the representation of the characters will help children to cultivate empathy, challenge prevailing stereotypes, and nurture an appreciation for varying perspectives.
Since the book has been published, Kristi has received incredible feedback. The most unexpected and rewarding pieces of feedback came from a colleague who mentioned that elementary dance teachers in public schools are interested in using the book as an educational resource in their classrooms. In addition to being in bookstores and at dance events, Kristi recognizes the book’s potential as a teaching tool in schools to bridge the gap between dance and literacy. Another heartfelt moment was delivered from a former student and mom, whose child asked, “Is that me?” upon seeing the book for the first time. The moment highlighted that every word and image in the book becomes a part of the child’s story and opens a world of possibilities for the child to imagine herself as a ballerina, a ballroom dancer, an African dancer, or someone who embraces movement in her life, which was one of Kristi’s goals when writing the book. Kristi is excited for what the future holds.
We are so proud of our alumna and NC Central University Director of Dance, Dr. Kristi Johnson, for making her dream a reality.
Kristi’s book can be purchased here.
Check out our website to learn more about the EdD in KIN program at UNCG.