Creative and Educational Dance
Holistic Growth Through Movement
The field of dance is rich and multifaceted, encompassing a wide range of genres including classical ballet, jazz, hip-hop, folk dance, competitive styles, ethnic traditions, and many others. Among these, creative and educational dance stands out as a unique approach—one that shifts the focus away from technical steps and choreography, and instead emphasizes the holistic development of the individual through movement, expression, and embodied experience.
In my work with kindergartens and schools, i design dance lessons that are grounded in this philosophy. The aim of the sessions is to nurture children’s personal expressive power, body awareness, and social communication skills. The exercises encourage autonomous activity and experiential learning, allowing each children to explore movement, the body, and space from their own starting point. In this context, dance is a tool – not a goal. What matters is not how the movement looks, but what it means to the child.
In the pedagogy of creative dance, the emphasis is on learning through dance. Dance is not only an art form but also an educational tool that supports the child’s development as a human being and as a receiver, interpreter, and creator of dance art. Dance expression is rooted in internal experiences, spontaneous movement, and the body’s natural rhythm. Lessons may include narrative exercises, musical interpretation, group improvisation, or exploration of body parts – all without pressure to perform or conform to a specific style.
Affective dimention
In dance education, the affective dimension of movement receives special attention. Getting to know one’s own body and gaining control over it supports the formation of a positive self-image. Dance is not merely the mastery of skills and movement patterns – it is the comprehensive use of body, which enhances mobility, coordination, and motor skills. At the same time, it teaches children to perceive movement, focus on sensory experiences, and generate movement independently and creatively.
Principles of creative dance
Creative dance fosters a wide range of developmental areas in children: aesthetic sensitivity, sensory integration, spatial and temporal orientation, cognitive development, physical performance, social interaction, self-regulation, and creativity. The goals of dance education can be divided into three domains of personality development:
- Psycomotor domain: development of kinesthetic and balance senses, sensory integration, motor skills, and physical performance.
- Social-emotional domain: structuring of body schema, support for positive self-image, creativity, tolerance, and respect for aesthetic values.
- Cognitive domain: ability to interpret sensory information, development of conceptual and creative thinking, learning readiness, and aesthetic perception.
Content-wise, the course is structured around five core themes: body, action, space, dynamics, and social relations. Through these, children explore body parts and shapes, move in space individually, in pair and collectively, experiment with different movement wualities, and learn to collaborate in a group. Dance happens in the here and now – it is my body, my movement, our shared dance.
Creative and educational dance offers children a space to grow, explore, and express themselves. it does not impose limits – it opens possibilities. That is precisely why it is such a valuable part of early childhood education and school-based dance programs.
Pedagogical experiment in autumn 2025 - the impact of repetition and learning
Between. 2024 and 2025, i conducted a series of dance classes in which each session was uniquely designed. The primary goal was to cultivate versatility and deepen my understanding of creative dance pedagogy. This approach allowed me to explore a wide range of methods and perspectives, ultimately leading to a broader and more nuanced familiarity with the principles of creative and educational dance.
In autumn 2025, i will initiate a pedagogical experiment at the kindergarten level, shifting from varied lesson structures to a repeated format. In this experiment, the same creative dance lesson plan will be implemented three times per group. The purpose is to examine how repetition influences children’s participation, movement acquisition, and expressive development. Special attention will be given to two distinct groups: children who have previously shown passive engagement, and those who have been consistently active and enthusiastic.
The central hypothesis is that repetition may lower the threshold for participation among less active children by fostering a sense of familiarity and psychological safety. Simultaneously, the experiment aims to observe how rpeated exposure affects the movement quality of active participants – whether their actions become more fluid, automated, and aesthetically refined. This inquiry supports the broader pedagogical view that creative dance is not a fleeting activity, but a developmental process in which body and mind evolve together over time.
Moreover, the experiment will serve as a reflective tool for refining my teaching practice. By observing how children respond to repeated material, i can better identify which exercises most effectively support their growth, which ones generate genuine enthusiasm, and which may require adaptation or alternative strategies.The ultimate goal is to develop more inclusive and impactful lesson structures that nurture each child’s individual journey through dance.
