follow the beat of your soul

“For all the kids with a dream of doing their own thing, no matter what society says they ‘should’ do.”

“A beautiful story to encourage any child to listen to their heart’s song.”

Hugo Dances Children's Picture Book

Hugo is a boy with a passion for dance. He tries different sports at the urging of his family, but can’t escape the rhythmic beat of his true calling.

With unwavering determination, he convinces his mother to let him explore Ballroom Dancing.

It seems as if Hugo has found his happiness, but doubt creeps in when he realises he looks different from the other dancers.

Hugo Dances is a gentle tale of self-discovery, embracing uniqueness, and the power of following your dreams.

Hugo is a boy with a passion for dance. He tries different sports at the urging of his family, but can’t escape the rhythmic beat of his true calling.

With unwavering determination, he convinces his mother to let him explore Ballroom Dancing.

It seems as if Hugo has found his happiness, but doubt creeps in when he realises he looks different from the other dancers.

Hugo Dances is a gentle tale of self-discovery, embracing uniqueness, and the power of following your dreams.

“An amazing book for all children. Hugo Dances is not just about a boy who wants to dance, it’s about following your dreams and doing something you really want to do because you *just know* it’s for you.”

“A story for the soul.”

“For all the families who are raising children to question the rules society tells them are unbreakable.”

A delightful little book that really shows how determination, passion and dreams can all intertwine into a lesson for both children and parents alike!”

A journey of embracing uniqueness

Hugo Dances is a full-colour children’s book written by Jay Crisp Crow and Hugo Crisp Crow and illustrated by Olena Kiptelaya.

The rhythmic story has movement – just like dance – and follows Hugo’s journey through longing to start Ballroom Dancing, to questioning whether he ‘fits’, and uncovering the truth about what being a dancer is really about. 

AUTHORS

It started as a ‘car story’

This book is 3 years (and about a thousand hours on the road to and from dance studios) in the making. It began as a funny story Hugo liked to hear during the drives about his determined and impassioned pleas to become a Ballroom Dancer, and slowly became a collaborative project between a little boy who loved dancing and his writer mum.

Hugo is currently 11-years-old, loves dancing, his Lagotto, pasta, and sport (not always in that order) and wrote all the best bits of this book.

Jay is older than Hugo, loves writing for a living (although this is her first children’s book of her own, she has edited some others) and almost evaporated from shock when Hugo took to the original draft of Hugo Dances with the delete button to rewrite sections. 

“Anybody can be a dancer if they can make a shape in the space” *

Hugo Dances celebrates the beauty of being true to yourself, having perseverance, and discovering the power of courage. This story teaches children (and maybe their families) the the invaluable lesson that challenges and doubts can sometimes be stepping stones to happiness.

With every volta and reverse turn, Hugo Dances sends a powerful message that no matter how different we may feel, our dreams are worth pursuing with unwavering determination. And a little bit of a pep talk.

* Quote from Hugo’s Latin teacher, Steven.

 

“Not just for boys who want to dance”

Ultimately, Hugo Dances not only inspires children to find their own rhythm in life but also teaches families the profound lesson of supporting and nurturing each other’s dreams.

In this story, Hugo’s family remembers that encouragement and the joy of celebrating each others successes, no matter how small, creates the kind of bond that will carry them through life’s dance.

“Everything about this book is just lovely. And the illustrations? Wonderful!”

“He dances through the supermarket, he dances at the soccer pitch, it’s just a joyful story about finding that song inside you absolutely must listen to.”

“To all the dancing parents out there, this book is a heartfelt call to action. Dance is a treasure trove of discipline, joy, and self-discovery, and by sharing Hugo Dances with your children, you’re not only supporting Hugo but also sowing the seeds of passion that can last a lifetime. Let this enchanting story serve as a catalyst, encouraging young hearts to embrace Ballroom Dance, ignite their dreams, and find their rhythm in life.” ~ EliteDancer.au

“Hugo Dances teaches all of us you can be imperfect and find joy.”

(The best) stockists

Shopping for any dancewear at Elite Dancer? Use the code HUGODANCES for a nice surprise! 

Book Signings

If you are in Western Australia, we would love to visit your bookstore, library, festival, school, or event to meet readers and sign some copies of Hugo Dances. If your people love dancing, you may also like to book the original Hugo to show you his signature Jive!

Just get in touch to have a chat with us about your event or idea.

Book Signings

If you are in Western Australia, we would love to visit your bookstore, library, festival, school, or event to meet readers and sign some copies of Hugo Dances. If your people love dancing, you may also like to book the original Hugo to show you his signature Jive!

Just get in touch to have a chat with us about your event or idea.