Parents bring their children to a dance school for a variety of reasons. Often children express to their parents that they would like to “be a ballerina” or parents are looking for an activity for a toddler because “their siblings all have an activity”. Some older children have been inspired by the myriad of dance related shows on television or parents want them to “get some exercise”. Most parents however do not realize the deep and far reaching benefits provided by the study of dance. The National Dance Education Organization writes, “Dance embodies one of our most primal relationships to the universe. It is pre-verbal, beginning before words can be formed. It is innate in children before they possess command over language and is evoked when thoughts or emotions are too powerful for words to contain.” Although the physical benefits of dance are widely recognized and easily understood…the emotional, cognitive and social benefits have only recently been recognized. The NDEO lists four major benefits of dance education.
- Dance as a form of physical exercise involves the whole body. It’s value in promoting Physical Development is easily understood. But, not only does it promote physical well being it develops kinesthetic memory, coordination, and provides an avenue for exploration of movement possibilities.
- Dance begins to provide children with a sense of Social Awareness. It allows children to learn to communicate through movement; to begin to understand the concept of cooperation and to understand themselves in relation to their peers.
- Dance allows children to develop Emotional Maturity. Dance allows children to learn how to express their emotions constructively and to begin to appreciate their own accomplishments and those of the other dancers in their class.
- Dance fosters Cognitive Development. “Movement provides the cognitive loop between the idea, problem, or intent and the outcome or solution.” (NDEO) In other words, it allows children to begin to recognize the value of creative problem solving.