Dancing is a gift for the body: exploring embodied mindfulness and influences of dance on wellbeing.

Dance supports mental well-being through embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive cognitive processes. A mixed-methods online study of 64 adult dancers from ten countries found that only the 'Connection to Body' subscale of the Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire supported the hypothesis that dance fosters embodied mindfulness. Thematic analysis revealed that dancers achieve connection to the body through pathways distinct from embodied mindfulness, such as self-care. Dancers also reported developing cognitive and social skills, including empathy and communication, that transfer to everyday life. The findings align with research on creativity, identity, and community, highlighting dance's flexibility in meeting well-being needs.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Dance offers a unique lens for exploring mental well-being via the 4E cognition framework-embodied, embedded, extended, and enactive perspectives. Research has focused on embodied mindfulness, but broader cognitive potential remains underexplored. Using a mixed-methods online design, 64 adult dancers (aged 21-45) from ten countries and diverse genres completed the Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire and open-ended questions. Only the 'Connection to Body' subscale supported the hypothesis. Thematic analysis indicated that dancers achieve connection to the body through pathways distinct from embodied mindfulness, such as self-care. Findings align with research on creativity, identity, and community. While offering new insights into connection to the body and style switching aspects of dance, highlighting dance's flexibility to meet wellbeing needs. Dancers also described developing cognitive and social skills, such as empathy and communication, that transfer to everyday life. Further research is warranted.