Impact of biodanza on children’s movement, music integration, and communication in kindergarten

This study examined the introduction of biodanza to a kindergarten for five-year-olds. It sought to understand the contribution of biodanza, of movement, music, and encounters, to the development of children’s movement in space, the combination of movement and music, and communication between children. The research question was, What is the contribution of biodanza in the kindergarten to the movement of children in space, and what is the contribution of the combination of movement and music to the communication between children? This was a qualitative study. The data were collected in Israel in the years 2017-2019. The findings show that the introduction of biodanza in the kindergarten enabled a process that encouraged children’s expression and initiative and provided varied opportunities for development and free playful and non-playful activities, with emphasis on social-emotional relationships, cognitive nurturing, and developmentally appropriate creativity. After an extended biodanza experience, the children demonstrated confidence in their movement, in approaching other children, and in expressing themselves through movement, creativity, and discourse. The findings show that kindergarten children should be given opportunities for process-oriented biodanza, to develop through movement and encounters. Children should be offered challenging exercises with developmental potential in movement and encounter with others.