BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — The Kern Dance Alliance has wrapped up its seventh annual Books in Motion program, made to improve literacy in Kern County youth through dance.
With more than 30 performances by nine dance groups across Kern County. One of those groups "arabesques" out from the crowd in the Books in Motion spotlight.
“Bakersfield City Ballet is a pre-professional ballet company that aims to inspire and enrich our community through performances and foster a love for the arts through dance”, said Ella Gove, a member of Bakersfield City Ballet.
Bakersfield City Ballet recently wrapped up its performances of "Swan Lake," one of the most famous stories often told through ballet. Despite the story being a classic, the dancers made it new again for Books in Motion.
“I think what was really special about Books in Motion is that it’s held in the library, so unlike in our usual performances, we get to interact with people," said Gove. "Performances aren't really what you’d expect to see in a library, so i think it just heightens the excitement in the room and just makes it so much better”.
By having dancers perform the books, it takes away the boundary of having to read the words and lets the child experience the story.
“I love Books in Motion because it gives them another way to interact with the book instead of just having to read it," said Caroline Horwedel, another dancer with Bakersfield City Ballet. "It gives them a chance to think about it other ways.”
The dancers say that readjusting one’s perspective to reading is the key, showing that once readers get behind the words, they can enjoy the real story.
“I think lot of people have a personal stigma against reading, where they think that if you read, it will be boring," explained dancer Hannah Horwedel. "This kind of shows that reading isn’t boring and reading is so many other things than just sitting down and looking at words. There’s a whole story to go with the words that you’re reading.”
The dancers have been working hard performing across Kern County libraries. The Bakersfield City Ballet performed in multiple locations here in Kern County and say that they look forward to next year’s Books in Motion.
