Summary
In Finding My Dance, Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud, tells a true story about her journey through Indigenous dance and how she takes pride in her Native American heritage. At age 4 Ria was brought into the powwow circle to dance for the first time. Since then, she found her love for dance. She began to dance all over the country. She finds a passion for Indigenous dance. She struggled throughout school being the only Native American girl but finds happiness through her dance.
Theme(s):
Never give up, Stick to what you believe in
Personal Response
I really enjoyed the message behind this story. It teaches students to take pride in who they are. It also shows students to never give up no matter how hard it may get and to keep persevering. This book also shows what Native American culture is like and what traditions are important.
Teaching Ideas
For younger students, the teacher can bring up videos of Indigenous dance to show the students what it looks like. The teacher can show easy tutorials for students to try. After discussion on the different dresses the dances wear, students can create their own traditional dress/outfit to dance in.
For older students, the teacher can talk about how Ria used dance as a way to express who she is. Students can write about what they do or can do to express themselves and who they are.
Recommended Reading Level
Grade 03, Grade 04, Grade 05, Grade 06, Grade 07, Grade 08, Grade 09
