Our Research
Our unique movement phrases promote mind body connectivity, focus and socioemotional growth.
Classrooms are constantly decreasing movement opportunities to increase standardized test preparation- despite these activities having no negative effect on test scores.1
Dance
for
Today
and
Tomorrow
Engagement in arts education has been found to improve: 2
- Test Scores
- Overall GPA's
- Likelihood of graduating high school
- Likelihood of enrolling in a competitive college
- Triples the likelihood of earning a bachelor's degree
Engagement in arts education has been found to improve: 2
- Test Scores
- Overall GPA's
- Likelihood of graduating high school
- Likelihood of enrolling in a competitive college
- Triples the likelihood of earning a bachelor's degree
Increased physical activity has been associated with improved: 3
- Motor Skills
- Concentration
- Attention in-class
- Task behavior
- Performance on cognitive tests
- Decreased in-class fidgeting
Increased physical activity has been associated with improved: 3
- Motor Skills
- Concentration
- Attention in-class
- Task behavior
- Performance on cognitive tests
- Decreased in-class fidgeting
Dancing
Makes
Me Feel 4
Dancing
Makes
Me Feel 4
The Proof is in the Numbers
By Grade
Pre-K
Kindergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade
Special Ed.
described dance breaks with positive language
described dance breaks using neutral language
described dance breaks using negative language
Based on BrainDance5
Our unique movement phrases promote mind-body connectivity and focus.
Breath
Breathing oxygenates the brain- a necessity for a fully functioning mind and body
Tactile
Physical touch leads to bonding, sensory integration, improved proprioception and appropriate behavior
Body-Side
Moving just the right or left side of the body strengthens the opposing hemispheres of the brain, as well as balances musculature and develops horizontal eye tracking
Vestibular
The feeling of falling off balance develops the vestibular system which strengthens eye tracking, hearing, proprioception, balance, and coordination
Core-Distal
The expansion and contraction connects the individual to the world beyond as well as themselves, improving interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligence, establishing the kinesphere, and improving core support as well as alignment.
Head-Tail
The full use of the spine stimulates an open path for the central nervous system to fully function, strengthening the neck, back, and shoulders required for sitting, writing, and focusing on work materials
Upper-Lower
The juxtaposition between mobility and stability improves articulation of body halves which leads to emotional stability and suggests reaching for goals and setting boundaries
Cross-Lateral
Movement that crosses the midline of the body connects the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This is necessary for reading and writing, and develops horizontal eye tracking
Our research has been presented at the following conferences
1 a. Wilkins, J. L. M., Graham, G., Parker, S., Westfall, S., Fraser, R. G., & Tembo, M. (2003). Time in the arts and physical education and school achievement. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 35(6), 721-734.; Dwyer, T., Blizzard, L., & Dean, K. (1996). Physical activity and performance in children. Nutrition Reviews, 54(4), 27. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.1996.tb03895.x
b. Sallis, J. F., McKenzie, T. L., Kolody, B., Lewis, M., Marshall, S., & Rosengard, P. (1999). Effects of health-related physical education on academic achievement: Project spark. Research Quarterly for Exercise & Sport, 7;
c. Trudeau, F., & Shephard, R. J. (2008). Physical education, school physical activity, school sports and academic performance. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5(10), 1-12.
2 Catterall, J. S. (2012). The arts and achievement in at-risk youth: Findings from four longitudinal studies. Research report #55.
3 a. Lowden, K., Powney, J., Davidson, J., & James, C. (2001). The class moves! Pilot in scotland and wales: An evaluation. Retrieved from Edinburgh, Scotland; Norlander, T., Moås, L., & Archer, T. (2005). Noise and stress in primary and secondary school children: Noise reduction and increased concentration ability through a short but regular exercise and relaxation program. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 16(1), 91-99.
b. Raviv, S., & Low, M. (1990). Influence of physical activity on concentration among junior high-school students. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 70(1), 67-74.
c. Boykin, A. W., & Allen, B. A. (1988). Rhythmic-movement facilitation of learning in working-class afro-american children. Journal of Genetic Psychology, 149(3), 335.; Trudeau, F., & Shephard, R. J. (2008). Physical education, school physical activity, school sports and academic performance. The International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 5(10), 1-12.
d. Lowden, K., Powney, J., Davidson, J., & James, C. (2001). The class moves! Pilot in scotland and wales: An evaluation. Retrieved from Edinburgh, Scotland; Mahar, M. T., Murphy, S. K., Rowe, D. A., Golden, J., Shields, A. T., & Raedeke, T. D. (2006). Effects of a classroom-based program on physical activity and on-task behavior. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise(12), 2086.
e. Jarrett, O. S., Hoge, P., Davies, G., Maxwell, D. M., Yetley, A., & Dickerson, C. (1998). Impact of recess on classroom behavior: Group effects and individual differences. Journal of Educational Research, 92(2), 121
f. Pellegrini, A. D., Huberty, P. D., & Jones, I. (1995). The effects of recess timing on children’s playground and classroom behaviors. American Educational Research Journal, 32(4), 845-864.
g. Ericsson, I. (2008). Motor skills, attention and academic achievements. An intervention study in school years 1-3. British Educational Research Journal, 34(3), 301-313.
h. Fredericks, C. R., Kokot, S. J., & Krog, S. (2006). Using a developmental movement programme to enhance academic skills in grade 1 learners. South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education & Recreation, 28(1), 29-42.
i. Knight, D., & Rizzuto, T. (1993). Relations for children in grades 2, 3, and 4 between balance skills and academic achievement. Perceptual And Motor Skills, 76(3), 1296-1298.
j. Nourbakhsh, P. (2006). Perceptual-motor abilites and their relationships with academic performance of fifth grade pupils in comparison with oseretsky scale. Kinesiology, 38(1), 40-48.
k. Oja, L., & Jürimäe, T. (2002). Physical activity, motor ability, and school readiness of 6-yr.-old children. Perceptual And Motor Skills, 95(2), 407-415.
l. Reynolds, D., & Nicolson, R. I. (2007). Follow-up of an exercise-based treatment for children with reading difficulties. Dyslexia, 13(2), 78-96.
m. Son, S.-H., & Meisels, S. J. (2006). The relationship of young children’s motor skills to later reading and math achievement. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 52(4), 755-778.
n. Uhrich, T. A., & Swalm, R. L. (2007). A pilot study of a possible effect from a motor task on reading performance. Perceptual And Motor Skills, 104(3), 1035-1041.
4 The graphic is based on survey responses to the prompt “Dancing makes me feel ……” from students in grades Pre-K-5. Larger words represent more commonly used phrases. Students who reported positive effects made up 88.46% of responses in year 1 of research (2017-2018 school year) and 90% in year 2 (2018-2019 school year). In year 1, 2.67% of students responded negatively with the remainder providing neutral feedback. In year 2 8.88% of students responded negatively and 8.02% provided neutral feedback. The experimental group was made up of 463 students.
5 Gilbert, Ann Green. BrainDance. Retrieved from https://www.creativedance.org/about/braindance/.