Our Dance by Jacinta Daniher and Taylor Hampton, ill. Janelle Burger
Lothian Books, Hachette Australia
Finding Our Rhythm: The Journey of Writing ‘Our Dance’
Jacinta Daniher and Taylor Hampton write about creating their exuberant interactive picture book, Our Dance with Janelle Burger for PaperbarkWords blog:
Taylor Hampton is a proud Ngiyampaa/Wiradjuri man and Jacinta Daniher is an early childhood educator. Taylor and Jacinta have a passion for educating young people about Aboriginal culture. In 2019, they established Birrang Cultural Connections to offer cultural workshops in education settings, with the vision of creating content that is educational, interactive and exciting. They have two children, Ella and Arlo, who have inspired them to create picture books that reflect their culture and experiences as young Aboriginal children growing up in Australia today.
Janelle Burger is an illustrator of Noongar and Sicilian descent, currently based in Paris.
OUR DANCE
The writing journey
Jacinta: I thought I’d take a moment to share a little glimpse into the chaotic, yet fun journey Taylor and I embarked upon while writing our book, ‘Our Dance’ as a husband-and-wife author duo. If you’re a parent, you know that finding a moment of peace to get anything done is nearly impossible.
Picture this: it’s 8 PM, and the house looks like a tornado swept through. Toys are strewn everywhere, and the remnants of dinner are still lingering on the kitchen counter. The kids have just gone to bed, but not without a dramatic series of meltdowns and a parade of excuses for why they can’t possibly sleep. “I need water!” “Can I have a piece of toast?” “Can I have one more story?”. It’s a nightly saga, but when or IF the dust settles, Taylor and I might finally get a chance to dive into our little world of creativity.
We’ve learned to write in the most unconventional of ways, squeezing in moments of inspiration amid the chaos of family life. Our writing sessions often feel like a game of tag — we tag in and out. One of us might be scribbling down an idea while the other is taking a child back to bed. I often find myself scribbling down lines at odd times, like when I’m folding the washing, to share with Taylor later.
Each of us brings something unique to the table. Taylor has a knack for ensuring that every cultural detail is accurate and respectful and I love how committed he is to honoring the culture we write about. On the other hand, my passion lies in crafting the rhymes, so we balance each other out, merging culture and literacy. We wanted ‘Our Dance’ to feel both informative but also lyrical and engaging for our readers.
So, here’s to all the parents out there trying to find a balance within the chaos. You can do it! Keep dancing through the messiness of life and never underestimate the power of a little teamwork. I better finish up here, I have a 3-year-old ‘passionately insisting’ that I put Blippi on!!!
Culture
Taylor:
When I was growing up, culture wasn’t something that was really taught. I knew I was Aboriginal, but that was about it. Sure, we had Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC events at school, but honestly, back then it felt more like a box being ticked than something truly meaningful. There wasn’t much real teaching about what it actually meant to be Aboriginal, no deep connection to Country, Community, or our stories.
It wasn’t until I moved away from my hometown of West Wyalong with Jacinta in 2014 that things started to shift. I started getting involved in community events and met some incredible people who shared their knowledge with me. That’s when my real cultural journey began. It was like finding a missing piece of myself that I didn’t even know was missing.
Now, I’m lucky enough to work at one of the largest Aboriginal organisations in Victoria, sharing the knowledge that’s been passed down to me. It’s a real privilege, not just learning, but putting it into practice and passing it on, especially to our kids.
For me, it’s all about Ella and Arlo. I want them to grow up proud of who they are. I don’t ever want them to feel like they have to hide their identity or water themselves down to fit in. I want them to walk proudly in their culture, in their own way, creating their own stories.
Writing Our Dance was a really fun and beautiful part of that. We’d read bits to Ella as we went, and seeing her face light up gave us all the confirmation we needed, we were doing something right. Our Dance is more than just a book to us. It’s a celebration of pride, connection, and joy, through movement, through story, and through culture.
And it’s not just for our kids, it’s for all kids. I hope when they read Our Dance, they feel proud of who they are and where they come from. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about us. It’s about the next generations, the ones who will carry our culture forward, keeping our stories strong and alive.
Creating an action song
Taylor: One of the most exciting ideas we had right from the start was to include a song to accompany the book. Almost immediately after we brainstormed the concept for ‘Our Dance,’ we knew we wanted a catchy action song that would bring the story to life in a whole new way. That’s where our wonderful literacy agent, Rochelle, came into play. She connected us with the incredibly talented Sue Ray, a proud Gamiliraay Woman, and from that moment, our vision began to take shape. Collaborating with Sue was an absolute joy, we worked on an action song that not only reflects the themes of the book but also encourages little ones to get up and move!
The Illustration process
Jacinta: From the moment we connected with Janelle, we knew we were in for something special. One of the concepts we were particularly excited about was the inclusion of artifacts on different pages. As an educator, I’ve always loved pointing out little details during story time with my preschool group. It’s like a treasure hunt for the kids! Not only does it make reading more interactive, but it also sparks further discussions, encouraging curiosity and engagement.
Imagine reading a page and discovering a boomerang tucked away in the background. It opens up a world of conversation — “What do you think this is?” or “How do you think it was used?” These little details turn a simple reading session into an enriching experience, and I couldn’t be happier that Janelle embraced this idea wholeheartedly.
Another important element for us was the representation of our children, Ella and Arlo, within the book. We wanted them to see themselves in the story and Janelle did a phenomenal job capturing them in the illustrations. It was heartwarming to see our kids reflected in the pages, dancing along with the characters and experiencing the adventures we dreamed up together.
From Janelle Burger:
When I first received the brief for the illustrations, I was thrilled to be given such creative freedom. While each page came with a short note outline the accompanying text, the visual narrative was mine to shape, a dream opportunity!
I began by designing the characters, sketching them in profile and full-body poses to explore their personalities and presence on the page. We started with five children, but as the story evolved, we introduced two more to bring a greater sense of balance and community to the scenes.
For the very first spread, I envisioned a sweeping Australian landscape towering with gum trees, tiny native wildflowers, dense shrubs, and wide open space for the children to roam. This world was inspired by my own childhood visits to family in the country. While I can’t say I encountered quite as many animals as in the book, the essence of those adventures lives in every detail.
The colouring process was the most time-intensive part, but also the most rewarding. I wanted the palette to feel joyful and rich bursting with life, colour, and warmth. It was important to me that the illustrations feel vibrant and inviting, offering young readers a visual feast and plenty to discover on each page.
This project has been a beautiful blend of imagination, memory, and storytelling. With gentle guidance and plenty of creative licence, it became a joyful and fulfilling journey one that I hope will spark a sense of wonder in every child who turns the page.
Our Dance at Hachette Australia
Jacinta Daniher and Taylor Hampton at Birrang Cultural Connections
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