

Not only that, but 81% of the students themselves said they had more respect for their peers, too. After 20 classes and a regional showcase competition, 2/3rds of LA-area school principals reported an increase in acceptance amongst students. Now that multiple studies have come to the same conclusion, parents and educators are using it as a tool to help children build empathy early in life.ĭancing Classrooms, for example, is a program that brings the art of dance to underprivileged schools.

Expressing our feelings through dance can make us more sensitive to when others are expressing themselves, too. Research has recently shown that people with dance experience are better at interpreting the emotions of others. Regularly engaging in dance is shown to help build our ability to empathize and express emotion, two crucial aspects of creating a good connection with others. The ability to become attuned to another person’s brain frequency is essential for the function of any empathetic community.” “Brain synchronization enables seamless cooperation, and is necessary for creating both harmonic music and movement. Poikonen states that when dancing together, two people’s brain waves become connected: Here are the top 3 ways in which dance aids in our emotional development. This makes us more likely to form healthy bonds with others through empathy, communication, and self-awareness. The movement involves the whole body, like in sports.”ĭance has a magical combination of elements that helps us become more in tune with our emotions and how we express them. It combines creative act, fine-tuned movement and collaboration, much like playing music. “In dance, the basic elements of humanity combine in a natural way. In her article “A Dancer’s Brain Develops in a Unique Way,” brain researcher Hanna Poikonen writes: What is it about dance that so easily prompts movement and joy in all of us? And if you’ve got young kids, chances are when you turn on their favorite song, they’re total naturals. Who doesn’t love to dance? There’s nothing like swaying and stomping to the beat of your favorite music.
