Dance Improvisation and Motor Creativity in Children: Teachers’ Conceptions

ABSTRACT

The current study focuses on motor creativity in children by analyzing the factors related to teaching dance improvisation. A qualitative methodology is adopted to collect the expert dance instructors’ conceptions of using dance improvisation in their teaching practice. Participants took part in semi–structured interviews that included questions about improvisation in dance education for children on topics like meanings, the motor and mental skills involved, motor creativity development, basic exercises, and the most frequently used ideas for organizing and teaching a typical lesson. Data were examined using content analysis, and the following macro areas were highlighted: creativity, movement, holistic development, and holistic education. The findings provided evidence of participants’ conceptions of and ideas about dance improvisation and creativity development in children. The participants demonstrated awareness of the potentialities of dance improvisation and its usefulness for creativity development in children. The findings are discussed in the framework of general theories of creativity, highlighting the implications of using improvisation in education.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.