José! Born to Dance Review

1. José! Born to Dance Review

2. What genre is “José! Born to Dance?” “José! Born to Dance” is a biography.

3. From what point of view is “José! Born to Dance” told? “José! Born to Dance” is told from a third person point of view. The narrator is not part of the story. The narrator uses words like “he and his” when describing José.

4. When did music first touch José’s life? José was first touched by music when he was a toddler. His grandmother’s pet canary sang to him as he ate breakfast.

5. When was José first exposed to dancers? José was first exposed to dancers when his father took him to the theater where his father worked as a musician. The text says that José loved to watch the dancers on the stage.

6. On page 291, the narrator tells how José reacted to different kinds of dances. Why do you think this is important? José’s reaction to the different styles of dancing show how much he enjoyed watching the dancers on stage.

7. How does the author show José’s heritage in the text? The author includes some Spanish words in the text to show that José is from Mexico.

8. Where did José and his family go when the war broke out? José and his family took a train to Nogales when the war broke out. They went there because Nogales was close to the border. They lived there for two years.

9. Why did the children in the American school make fun of José? The American children made fun of José because his English was poor and it sounded funny to them when he spoke.

10. What did the children making fun of José make him determined to do? José became determined to speak English well. The text says that he was quick to learn new words and that he could speak English with confidence within 3 years.

11. Why did everyone think that José would become an artist? Everyone thought that José would become an artist because by sixth grade, José became known for his colorful drawings. He was famous for pictures of trains.

12. Why did José go to New York? José went to New York to become a great artist.

13. Why did the author compare New York to a cemetery? The author said that José called New York a cemetery because that is where José’s dream of becoming a great artist died. The text says he put away his drawings. He felt sad and lost.

14. What evidence shows that José has found his gift to give the world? The text says that José became a world-famous choreographer and toured the globe. It also states that he danced for famous people like presidents, and normal people like bus drivers.