We conducted an intervention based on Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) with dance students to improve their performance and reduce their anxiety levels. Sixteen students from a dance conservatory participated in a quasi-experimental mixed research, test-posttest design without control group, consisting of five SFBT sessions. Their teachers…

What is 'African dance'? Is the label 'African dance' representative enough of the diverse dance traditions in African communities, or is it just another form of tokenism? How is the term 'African dance' rooted in the histories of colonial racism against the African people? What are the dangers of using the same label as an attempt at instituting…

The Feldenkrais Method® (FM) is a form of somatic education aiming to increase brain-body communication, reportedly via interoceptive mechanisms. Although empirically proven to improve perceived interoceptive ability and psychological well-being in adults, feasibility in adolescents remains unclear. We therefore used a combined randomized…

There is international consensus that creativity is a fundamental outcome of schooling. Opportunities exist to enhance the creativity of schoolchildren, particularly in movement-based subjects such as physical education (PE). In this pilot study, we investigated the effect of a six-week dance-based PE intervention on children's creativity in a…

One Saturday, in November in 2014, a researcher made an explorative intervention with 22 professional performing and teaching dance artists on the independent dance field in Norway. Through the three-hour-long intervention, the researcher and participants dived into questions about choreographic processes and dance pedagogy in contemporary times.…

The purpose of this interdisciplinary educational experience was to explore dynamic interaction between student dancers and graduate physical therapy students in a structured learning environment regarding prevention of dance injuries. A second aim was to determine the utility of a self-report outcome measure and the Functional Movement Screen…

Ballet training is designed to develop creative, expressive artists. However, an explicit approach to technical instruction may not assist in the development of individual creativity and may encourage counterproductive perfectionistic goals. This paper describes a five-day intervention designed to enhance creativity in thirteen adolescent…

Background: Physical activity (PA) is associated with positive health outcomes. However, children's access to physical activities they enjoy may be limited. Purpose: To evaluate second-grader's PA against the U.S. DHHS goals to see if a before-school, play-based dance program contributed to these goals. Operational feasibility was evaluated using…

With Higher Education moving toward a student as consumer model, the future of dance in this context requires a more collaborative and innovative approach. One way to achieve this is to find new teaching methods that use class time in a more meaningful way. This qualitative research project used a guided and cognitive-specific imagery intervention…

Different types of dance initiatives are being designed for people across their entire lifespan, and implemented in a wide range of health and well-being settings. The aims of these initiatives are to improve their physical and mental conditions. Research on the use of dance for health and well-being is also rapidly gaining momentum which suggests…

Physical activity during preschool age promotes sports learning and the acquisition of fundamental and complex movement skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of three different four-month physical and/or pre-sport activity programmes on preschool children's motor proficiency. Twenty-five girls, aged between four and six years,…

There are various forms of therapies for children with disabilities, including physical therapy, speech therapy, and alternative therapies such as music and dance therapy. Each form of therapy has its benefits for those with disabilities, but ultimately the success of the therapy rests on the attention paid to the individual. Especially for…

Professional dance careers require years of intensive training. Stress experienced during training must be balanced with adequate recovery to prevent overtraining and burnout. Little is known, however, about how dancers achieve recovery-stress balance. This study examined dancers' recollection of stress and recovery during their vocational dance…

This study reflects on teaching and learning contemporary dance in Amman, Jordan, focusing on the experiences of three contemporary dance students. Through the three case studies, various issues regarding teaching and learning contemporary dance in a Jordanian context are raised, revealing that contemporary dance can be perceived as a taboo and…

Older Latinos have low rates of physical activity (PA) and poor health outcomes. Focus groups and a single group, pre-post 3-month pilot of a culturally appropriate Latin dance program (BAILAMOS©) were conducted among older, inactive Latinos with a self-identified mobility limitation. Nine themes emerged from focus groups, including cultural…