David Allan [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The kinesthetic arts most famously include dance, but also include other dramatic arts such as mime or choreography industrial arts such as sculpting and wood-working, and recreational arts such as sports or active games (Jensen, 2001). Dance is an "ancient cultural artifact" that can be found in societies throughout time and around the globe (Hanna, 1987, p. 51). Dance is an important cultural element, from the use of dance in prelinguistic societies, to the dance halls of the 1950s, to today's rave culture (Thomas, 2003). Dance is important to cultures and can be a primary motivating force in the creation of subcultures (McRobbie, 1993).
By Ayacop (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Benefits

Dance and creative movement is associated with:
  • Increased student understanding of content (especially with kinesthetic learners)
  • Improved student behavior in the classroom, especially for those with special needs (Skoning, 2008)
Physical activity is associated with:
  • Improved academic performance
  • Improved cognition (Lengel & Kuczala, 2010)
  • Increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF, see photo at left), which is associated with long-term memory, enhanced learning, and cognition (Hillman, Erickson, & Kramer, 2008).
By Lance Cpl. Diamond Peden (https://www.dvidshub.net/image/1617517) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Classroom Implementation

It doesn't make sense to deny students education in dance or opportunities for physical expression and activity. Dance has an important cultural aspect and physical activity enhances learning. In my classroom, dance can be integrated into some lessons when appropriate (see sample lesson plan), and my students and I will participate in short activity breaks, or brain breaks/blasts, which can be a dance.
Hanna, J. (1987). To dance is human: A theory of nonverbal communication. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Hillman, C., Erickson, K., & Kramer, A. (2008). Be smart, exercise your heart: Exercise effects on brain and cognition. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 9, 58-65.
​Jensen, E. (2001). Arts with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Lengel, T., & Kuczala, M. (2010). The kinesthetic classroom: Teaching and learning through movement. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
McRobbie, A. (1993). Shut up and dance: Youth culture and changing modes of femininity. Cultural Studies, 7(3), 406-426.
Skoning, S. (2008). Movement and Dance in the Inclusive Classroom.TEACHING Exceptional Children Plus, 4(6), 2-11.
Thomas, H. (2003). The body, dance, and cultural theory. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.
Last updated: 01/2016