'Carla and Leo's World of Dance'

Young adults discover culture, music and history: 'Carla and Leo's World of Dance'

By April MacIntyre Jun 16, 2011, 0:58 GMT

Parents will want to check out "Carla and Leo’s World of Dance," a story that takes young readers ages 8 to 12 on a journey to the magical dance school of the beautiful Miss Paulina, who leads 10-year-olds Carla and Leo on a worldwide tour of ballroom dance.

“I really enjoyed this delightful book’s social message of learning and practicing dancing as the means to bring boys and girls together in a shared venue. At a time when boys and men are becoming ever more socially isolated by living their lives in a high tech world, Agatha Relota’s dance journey promises to be a salvation. Parents of boys should encourage their sons to learn how to relate better with girls, starting with, ‘Shall we dance?’ “-Dr. Philip Zimbardo

Parents will want to check out "Carla and Leo’s World of Dance," a story that takes young readers ages 8 to 12 on a journey to the magical dance school of the beautiful Miss Paulina, who leads 10-year-olds Carla and Leo on a worldwide tour of ballroom dance.

Future Dancing with the Stars contenders will learn of ten styles: the waltz, foxtrot, swing, merengue, mambo, cha cha, rumba, salsa, tango, and samba.

For each style, Miss Paulina provides its cultural and geographical origin as well as rhythmic step patterns. All this is presented with a delightful narrative written by author, fashion model, dancer, and mother of two, Agatha Relota.

The book pops with more than 50 colorful illustrations from Paris fashion illustrator Thierry Perez, and Jessica Alba penned the charming introduction.

This book will please both children and their parents with a fresh take on ballroom dancing that inspires and educates.

Readers of all ages are sure to finish the book with a new rhythm in their steps, ready to dance their way around the world.

Carla and Leo come alive vividly through the beautiful illustrations of Thierry Perez. The fancy world of ballroom dancing is demystified and intrigues the reader to pursue lessons in classical dances.

The explanations of all ten dances with their rhythm and timing will make young readers understand and appreciate the art form and want to have fun learning it too.

Agatha Relota is an author, fashion model, dancer, and mother of two. In 2006, Agatha’s nieces asked that she teach them to dance. She found there were few if any books on ballroom dance written to inspire children.

This void of literature was the seed for her book, Carla and Leo’s World of Dance.

She wrote the book with the belief that dance can teach children valuable skills to take beyond the dance floor, such as manners, self-confidence, and discipline, as well as a heightened awareness of the world’s cultures. After working for years on the book, her resolve to bring the world of dance to children became even more inspired recently when she became a mother of two.

Represented by Storm Models in London, Agatha built a modeling career for herself that includes such highlights as editorials for the likes of Vogue, W Magazine, and L’Officiel. She’s also worked with such world class photographers as Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Klein, Juergen Teller, David LaChapelle, and Scavullo. Prestigious brands she’s worked with include Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Hermes, Nina Ricci, Ap by Bruphils, Georges Rech, Hanro of Switzerland, Jitrois, Laura Biagotti, Long’s Jewelers, Louis Feraud, Nespresso, Nordstrom, Pools, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bill Blass, Claude Montana, Issey Miyake, Jeremy Scott, and Elspeth Giibson. Agatha has also appeared in TV commercials as well as in music videos with Robbie Williams and Sir Paul McCartney.

Agatha’s career as a dancer began when she took up ballet at the age of four. She then joined the New Jersey Ballet School at 10, where she regularly performed the Nutcracker at the renowned Paper Mill Playhouse. Agatha took up ballroom dancing at the age of 17 and was soon competing in the various styles; her love of dance has never waned.