Some people might find dance hazardous for children, some other people may believe it is too risky without any benefits for children, but there are now studies that conclude that dance injuries are high in professional young dancers only. (Krasnow, Mainwaring, and Kerr 10). Meanwhile, there are several other studies that conclude the positive effects of dance in children.
Recent research establish a close relationship between dance and the improvement of children overall health, the enhancement of their self-esteem, and helps them to develop their social skills.
One of the main benefits that dance can generate in children, is the improvement of their overall health, physically and mentally. Dance is a physical activity that can improve bone health, cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in children. Also, increase the child's flexibility, physical strength and stamina, and correct poor posture. As high cardio workout, dance for overweight children can help them to lose weight. At the same time, dance can help them how to deal with their emotions and other mental issues. For a child's positive cognitive and social development it is necessary that both, physical and mental health, are in good condition.
In America, overweight children is a present challenge, one out of three children in the U.S. has this problem, bringing lots of health complications, such as heart decease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Increasing physical activity by dancing, overweight in children can be reduced or prevented, decreasing the probabilities of heart decease, high blood pressure, and diabetes on these kids. ("Childhood Obesity Facts" 3)
A research published on the National Center for Biotechnology Information demonstrate that increasing the physical activity, by adding an intense after-school dance program and lifestyle education program, help reduce risk factors for heart disease, T2DM, and improve lifestyle choices. Adding freestyle dance and lifestyle classes for 16 weeks to their regular schedule, in this study, 64 fourth and fifth- grade students were evaluated for changes in body composition, endurance, biochemical measurements, and lifestyle choices. The results concluded that "an intensive after school dance and lifestyle education program can reduce risk factors for heart decease and T2DM and improve lifestyle choices among elementary school children" (Hogg, Jeannette et al. 8). Adding a physical activity, in this case a dance program to children regular schedule, can improve their cardiovascular health, reduce risks of diabetes type 2, and improve children decisions in their way of life.
For this purpose, increasing physical activity in childhood is a key factor to the improvement of health, and dance can be that new activity that stimulate children to keep active. To validate this, Erwin, Koufoudakis, and Beighle's research, stated that by using dance videos, elementary children increase their physical activity by 68% of indoor recess time. (Erwin et al. 6). In this study 54 children were analyzed, aged 8 to 12, from all different demographic: white (87%), African American (4%), Asian (4%), Hispanic (2%), and other (2%). Fairly uniform economic background. Participants were assigned an accelerometer to measure physical activity and were engage with custom dance videos during their indoor recess during 5 days. The results support dance videos as an effective method for increasing children's physical activity during indoor recess as an alternative to sedentary activities.
In a similar way, West Virginia Public Employees Insurance Agency (PEIA) recruited 85 children with overweight to participate in an at-home study using a video dance game to increase their physical activity. A game console, game pad and software is supply by PEIA, and the medical screening and tracking result are provided by West Virginia University. Good results have been reported, One of the kids, Jones, within only 2 weeks playing the game, he already lost 10 pounds (Barker 2).
In addition to the studies referred previously, interviews made with mothers of two different girls with overweight, Karina Millan and Maria Isabel Lopez, support that dance classes are a positive stimulus in the life of their girls, and have made notorious impact in their health. These two girls, Melissa and Isabela, take an-hour dance class, 3 times per week, and in a short period of time, some health improvements are noticeable. Maria said that Isabela, her daughter, have not presented a respiratory crisis since she start this activity. Both mothers have established that, within 2 months these girls have lost some weight while they were having more energy and they were eating healthier. (12)
Simultaneously with obesity, mental disorders in American children is an issue that needs to be addressed. Mental disorders in children are frequent and can affect many children and families, 1 of 5 children suffer from a mental disorder during their lifetime, and affect the ability in children to cope with life events in a positive way. Dance help children to manage emotions, providing them with tools to deal with stress and other mental issues, and creating a space to express themselves ("Children Mental Health Report" 4)
The National Dance Education Organization states that "Dance helps children mature physically, emotionally, socially, and cognitively" (ndeo.org 12). Movement comes naturally to children, they move to communicate feelings and needs, or just for their enjoyment. By adding structure and awareness of the surroundings, that movement becomes dance, and it is that consciousness that helps children to free their minds and heal their emotions. Dance directly promotes psychological health by giving the opportunity to children of expressing themselves through creative movements. Children become aware of themselves and others, as well as for the space around them, developing a higher level of maturity.
Dance helps children to create a safe space, which is linked to mood, on the physical and psychological level. Dance is an art used as therapy, involving the expressive movement to engage the children in a creative process of personal integration and development. It is used as an outlet of energy that comes with different emotions. Dance helps children to express themselves, venting their feelings and emotions, increasing the sense of relaxation and self-control. "It is an important effective tool for children who suffer from emotional disorders and learning disabilities" (Kourkouta, Rarra, Mavroeidi, and Prodromidis 9). Dancing is a relevant tool that can be used as treatment for children that deals with emotional destress and have disadvantages with learning.
Consequently, dance increase self-esteem in children, making them feel more confident. Dancing, assist develop their ability to express themselves, helping the way they feel around others and having more assurance about themselves. Dancing improve physical strength and appearance while having fun, helping integrating themselves positively to their environment. In addition, dancing produced endorphins, a substance that reduce pain, stress, and other mental disorders, giving the sensation of happiness.
Throughout dance, children can learn how to discipline the body and mind, contributing to shaping the child's personality. Dance therapy provides a sense of wholeness to all individuals unifying the body, mind, and spirit. Dance teaches kids respect for themselves and others, and also the meaning of discipline. (Kourkouta, Rarra, Mavroeidi, and Prodromidis 9). Dance develops the expressive ability of children, and is a vehicle for self-expression. Creative movement gives children opportunities to move in new ways and helps them learn that there can be more than one solution to a question, a problem, or a task. (Dow 5). The confidence gained through achievements in dance helps too to increase self-esteem ("Why Dance" 14). Dancing is not as hard as it looks like, and once somebody tries it, most likely will do it again. Besides all the health benefits, dancing produce a feeling of satisfaction and achievement that increases the confidence and self-esteem of children.
Furthermore, dance aid improve their physical strength and appearance while having fun. Researches viewed earlier in this paper shown that dance, as a physical activity, helps lost weight and increase the physical health in children, such as healthy bones and muscular fitness. These is reflected in a strong and healthy body and mind. Dance in children improve their coordination, body control, balance, stamina, and overall strength, and they enjoy themselves. (Dow 5). Adding to that, dancing, as any other physical exercises, produced endorphins that help reduced stress, anxiety and depression. ("Exercise and Depression" 7).
Undoubtedly, the improvement of children's social skills, is one of the major benefits that dance produced on them. The virtue of social skills is an ability that can be develop through dance. The participation in dance classes induce to physical contact with others and cooperation, increasing the capacity of connecting with others, broaden their social awareness.
The National Dance Education Organization emphasize that children learn to communicate ideas to others through body movement, interact and cooperate within a group dynamic, giving them social awareness. Dance promotes social encounter. The interaction with other kids in dance classes and the cooperation between them, are element used in the creation of movement as it is on structured dance classes. Children interconnect with others to create movements, communicating ideas between them through dance. They quickly learn to work within a group dynamic, learning to understand themselves in relation to others (13).
To illustrate this, in a research published by Progress in Health Science, various articles and reports in dance on children health were reviewed. This research sustain that because of the ability to complete task within a group and the social interaction, a sense of responsibility and solidarity is created, improving their social skills. "Simple, repetitive and structured activities on an organic succession and experiences that enhance motor control and confidence contribute in reducing antisocial behavior and social skills in children" (Kourkouta, Rarra, Mavroeidi, and Prodromidis 9). The structured and repetitive dance movements, in a natural development that stimulates self-control and confidence, promote social skills reducing disruptive conduct.
Additionally, in another study made by Lobo and Winsler, published in ArtsEdSearch.org, preschool children were assigned to participate in either an eight-week creative dance/movement program or in a free play program (control group). The results display that children that participated in the creative dance/movement program improved their overall social ability, presented lower suppressing problems such as depression, withdrawal, and anxiety, and less behavioral problems such as aggression, compared with the free play (control) group. In this research, teachers and parents reported that students improved their social skills and had fewer behavioral problem (Lobo, Winsler 11).
Lastly, participant of a personal interview validate the results made by Lobo and Winsler, and explain social and behavioral changes on their kids. (Millan, and Lopez 12).
