Interesting Article # 1: Facilitating Preschool Learning and Movement through Dance

Peer Reviewed

Facilitating Preschool Learning and Movement through Dance

Riolama Lorenzo-Lasa,1 Roger I Ideishi,1,2 and Siobhan K Ideishi1

A preschool movement through dance program is a way to open the door to numerous

cultural benefits and opportunities, and preschool skill facilitation. Creating new contexts for

learning enrich young children and offer them different opportunities to understand and

negotiate the world. Inclusive curricular integration and parent and community participation

are important components of a cultural arts experience that deepen the children_s repertoire of

behavior and responses to the world. Early childhood education practitioners are encouraged

to creatively explore their community and develop rich cultural learning experiences for

children.

KEY WORDS: preschool cultural arts; children_s movement programs; gross motor development; motor

development; creative preschool movement; preschool dance; children_s imagination; creative expression;

preschool curricular integration.

INTRODUCTION

Young children sense, move and respond within

the context of the moment. Reaching, jumping, balancing,

and hopping are experiences that teach children

how to understand and negotiate the world.

Movement experiences that are layered with creative,

cognitive, social and emotional experiences facilitate

children_s understanding that movement has meaning,

intention and expression. Preschool movement

and dance programming brings a multi-layered

experience to inclusive preschool settings so children

of all abilities can experience and benefit from creative

and complex movement experiences.

Physical movement coupled with novel pretend

imagery can help with attention, speed, retention, and

enjoyment of learning (Sacha & Ross, 2006). Movement

and music experiences integrated within a preschool

curriculum can also reinforce math and logic

concepts through rhythm and patterns of beat and

tempo (Shilling, 2002). In addition to cognitive

learning benefits, creative movement and dance can

be a transformative experience that develops body

awareness as well as personal identity and control

(Graham, 2002). Children can attain a greater range

of emotional feelings and cues through movement.

Children who understand and attend to a range of

emotional cues can develop sensitivity to basic emotions

and use this broader emotional repertoire for

responding in the world (Boone & Cunningham,

1998). Cultural arts programs that integrate motor,

cognitive, social and emotional skills provide children

with layered learning experiences that deepen their

repertoire of behavior and responses to the world. A

multi-layered cultural arts experience also serves as a

framework for creating adaptations for children with

different abilities and interests in movement.

PRESCHOOL MOVEMENT THROUGH DANCE

A movement through dance program may include

basic body awareness, counting and rhythm,

creative body movement, and language and emotional

expression. Integrating these experiences allows

children to learn at different levels and rates

depending on their level of ability and interest. These

1Occupational Therapy, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia,

600 S. 43rd St, Box 24Philadelphia, PA 19125, USA.

2Correspondence should be directed to Roger I Ideishi, Occupational

Therapy, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, 600 S.

43rd St, Box 24Philadelphia, PA 19125, USA.,

e-mail: r.ideishi@usip.edu

Early Childhood Education Journal, Vol. 35, No. 1, August 2007 (_ 2007)

DOI: 10.1007/s10643-007-0172-9

25

1082-3301/07/0800-0025/0 _ 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

elements can be organized in three phases: warm up,

dance techniques, and creative movement. For

example, warm up exercises prepare the body for

physical activity, dance techniques demonstrate how

to control the body, and creative movement demonstrates

how to modify movement with imagination.

The warm-up exercises should be a progressive

series of movements aimed at preparing the body for

physical activity. In learning the warm-up, children

can anticipate what comes next while realizing the

importance of stretching and warming up the muscles

prior to physical activity. Table 1 provides ten

examples of various warm up exercises on the floor

and in standing. Having children count out loud with

the music, while executing these exercises, might also

help with staying focused and involved. Many exercises

such as the ‘‘scissors’’, ‘‘butterfly’’, and ‘‘seal’’

incorporate imagery in attaining movement and

posture. For instance, before executing any movement

the children can be asked what scissors look

like. Once the children have the image in their head,

they are then asked to use their legs as ‘‘scissors’’.

During these repetitions they imagine cutting pieces

of paper with their ‘‘scissors’’. The same can be asked

before the ‘‘butterfly’’ and the ‘‘seal’’. This offers the

children something familiar to reference during the

recall process. Using creative representations during

‘‘butterfly’’ exercises helps to promote children_s

imagination while using their legs as butterfly wings.

They are asked to flap their wings and at certain times

they can bring their head down towards the floor and

pretend to hide in their wings so as not be caught in

the butterfly net. These imaginary concepts help to

sustain the child_s interest, and use of creative

thought. Another example is the ‘‘seal’’ exercise when

the children are asked to show their tails. Once the

position is achieved, the imagery of a seal going in

and out of the water dictates the movement. Using

the imaginary animal concepts demonstrates that

movement has intention.

Dance experiences extend the warm up movement

experience to the next level from body awareness

and intention to controlled movement. Dance

techniques such as ballet provide a framework for

learning how to control movement. Ballet technique

starts with the basic positions of the feet and incorporates

such motions as bending of the knees,

jumping and turning. Table 2 describes various ballet

techniques achievable for preschoolers. Ballet technique

can progress to further, more difficult movements

and can include arm positions and arm

movements. Children are especially engaged if they

are able to execute their newly learned steps in a

performance at the end of each period. With props

such as ribbons and costumes, the children can take

turns performing for classmates. The benefits of

ballet technique are not simply physical. Although it

demands strength, coordination, and flexibility, it

also requires body awareness, constant thought and

concentration, and discipline. Ballet uses every major

muscle group with a strong emphasis on core strength

and posture. This complete form of exercise builds

stamina, tones muscle, and improves flexibility

through stretching. In ballet, children are forced to

create mind-body connections in order to execute the

appropriate steps and positions demanded. Learning

ballet involves dancing to a musical score; this assumes

that sensory processing, in which the child

must integrate learned movements with auditory input,

occurs in each child actively participating in

class. Ballet technique is also taught in a very regimented,

hierarchical and organized system. One

cannot jump to a certain level without having

accomplished lower level techniques. This instills in

the child a certain discipline of repetition and practice.

Thus, ballet technique offers many benefits that

are not represented in a movement curriculum and

that many children would profit from attaining.

Extending the dance techniques with creative

movement experiences allows children to modify and

experiment with movement using imaginary thought

and creativity. Table 3 provides examples for using

animal movements for expressive movement.

Attaching an animal label to a movement using pretend

play allows the children to learn the movement,

making the exercise not only a physical exercise, but

also a mental activity. Depending on the animal, the

children may also be asked to make sounds associated

with that animal. The types of movement executed

with each animal involve different energy levels

that elicit certain expressions or feelings. For the

‘‘rabbit’’, a child may be asked to wiggle his or her

bunny nose. Since rabbits do not produce a sound,

the feeling is very quiet. The ‘‘chicken’’ makes a loud

noise that children often find comical. The movement

itself is also comical because of its challenge to preschoolers.

Children experience laughter in falling off

balance, which adds to the emotion. The ‘‘pony’’

holds a strong and regal posture while happily

mimicking the sound of horseshoes on cobblestones.

The ‘‘frog’’ provides an energetic and excited ‘‘ribbit’’,

as the child propels him or herself far into the

air. The ‘‘swan’’ exudes grace as it glides smoothly

and calmly. Each animal exhibits specific qualities of

26 Lorenzo-Lasa, Ideishi, and Ideishi

movement and mood that transforms the child into

that animal, while exposing him or her to a wide

range of emotions.

Using objects and props help to engage and focus

the children. For example, placing a blue mat or

object in the center of the room to resemble a pond

during animal movement activities keeps the child

focused on the direction as well as changes of

movement. The child is told to jump over, step over,

or make some other contact with the pond depending

on the animal. Animal exercises can also be performed

traveling across the floor, or incorporated

into a game called ‘‘duck, duck, swan’’ similar to the

game: ‘‘duck, duck, goose’’. In ‘‘duck, duck, swan,’’

the child chooses any learned animal and executes the

movement around the circle, instead of running,

while the chosen child follows. This too can progress

as the child is taught more movements that imitate

different animals.

FACILITATING PRESCHOOL SKILLS

Movement is a basic form of experience and

communication (Koff, 2000). When movement becomes

a dance form, the sensory, motor, cognitive,

social and emotional skills inherent in the experience

can be facilitated as isolated skills or a as a cohesive

integrated developmental experience. In inclusive

environments, a multi-dimensional movement experience

offers learning to children of all ages and

abilities. Through these experiences, children connect

movement, sensation, and action to self-awareness,

emotional response, social interaction, and cognitive

focusing and attention. A preschool movement

Table 1. Warm Up Exercises

Floor and Seated Exercise

‘‘Point & Flex’’ 10 repetitions • Sitting position on the floor with the legs extended to the front.

• While keeping the legs together with knees straight, the feet are alternately pointed up

and down.

‘‘Toe Reaches’’ 10 repetitions • Legs extended to the front and the legs maintained together.

• The arms reach for the ceiling followed by a forward bend to reach the toes without

allowing the knees to bend.

‘‘Scissors’’ 10 repetitions • Laying on one_s back with the legs up, pointing to the ceiling.

• The legs open to the side and close, crossing one leg in front and immediately changing

to cross the other leg.

‘‘Seal’’ 10 repetitions • Sitting position in which both legs are balanced off the floor while holding the ankles.

• The knees are bent, heels are touching and feet are flexed. While balancing the legs up

without releasing the ankles, one will roll backwards then forwards and end in a

balance sitting position.

‘‘Butterflies’’ • Sitting position with the soles of the feet together, the knees bent and positioned

laterally. The knees will then be raised and lowered from the ground in a bouncing

‘‘flying’’ fashion.

• This movement should be repeated for ten counts followed by a forward body bend so

that the forehead touches the feet.

• 3 forehead touches with a 10 count ‘‘flying’’ knees between each touch.

Standing Exercises

‘‘Body Bends’’ 4 repetitions of the series • The first of the standing warm up exercise

• Standing with the feet apart and hands on the hips (neutral position).

• Bending from the waist as far forward, rightward, backward, and leftward as possible

coming back to neutral position before every change of direction.

‘‘Knee Raises’’ 5 times each leg • Standing with the hands on the hips.

• The right knee lifts to form a 90 degree angle with the body and is held for 3 seconds

making sure to alternate between left and right legs.

‘‘Arm Circles’’ 1 repetition of the entire series • Standing up with the arms at shoulder level elevated to the side.

• Make ten small circles in a clockwise fashion. Then reverse direction and make ten

small circles in a counter-clockwise fashion.

• Then begin to make ten large circles in a clockwise fashion. Make ten large circles in a

counter-clockwise fashion.

‘‘Kicks’’ • Standing with the hands on the hips.

• Starting with the right leg, kick to the front, right, back, and right again.

• Bring the leg down between each direction.

• 4 repetitions of series with each leg

Preschool Movement 27

through dance program has the potential to facilitate

various skills areas simultaneously. Therefore, children

with different abilities can participate at a level

that meets their needs yet still engage in a social

group experience.

Movement through dance obviously facilitates

motor skills. Using dance as an expression of movement

offers a tangible and goal directed movement

outcome easily identified to children. Goal directed

familiar and enjoyable tasks facilitate gross motor

skills greater than merely the movement itself (Duff,

Shumway-Cook & Woollacott, 2007). Participating

in a group format also provides opportunities for

social modeling and repetitive practice promoting

motor planning and sequencing skills (p. 554). Dance

technique challenge children with new motor plans

and sequences increasing their repertoire of movements

facilitating developmental motor skills. The

warm-up exercises and animal movements can facilitate

a greater acuity to balance, body awareness, and

motor sequencing. For example, Child D. had difficulty

with initiation of movement requiring physical

prompts to follow through with the warm-up exercise

and animal movements. Through vicarious observational

learning, animal imagery, and motor practice,

D. required less physical prompts for initiation and

was able to repeat movements independently using

the animal images. As demonstrated above, using a

variety of modes for motor learning such as the

warm-ups, animal movement and games facilitate

children_s problem solving and generalization for

effective movement strategies (Shumway-Cook &

Woollacott, 2007a).

Movement is a sensory experience. Visual,

auditory and kinesthetic senses are key sensations in

movement through dance. These sensory skills facilitate

awareness of response and reactivity to different

conditions for the participant (Dunn, 2001). Movement

through dance can be an organizing tool for

some children. For example, Child A. was initially

hyper-reactive to visual and auditory stimuli. He was

distracted by any new visual or auditory information

present in the immediate environment. With the

routine of the movement through dance activities,

Child A. associated piano music and animal movement

themes to the point where he was able to

Table 2. Ballet Technique

‘‘First Position’’ • The basic position of the feet is ‘‘first position’’, where the heels are touching and the toes are pointing out.

• Every ballet step should start and finish in the same position.

‘‘Plie’’ • ’’Plie’’ (pronounced ‘‘plee-ae’’), where the knees bend and straighten, can be performed in first position.

‘‘Relevee’’ • ’’Relevee’’ (pronounced ‘‘re-le-vae’’), where the heels rise off the floor and one is balanced on the balls of the

feet, can be performed in first position.

‘‘Souttee’’ • ’’Souttee’’ (pronounced ‘‘so-tae’’), where one jumps into the air, can be performed in first position.

‘‘Pirouette’’ • ’’Pirouette’’ (pronounced ‘‘pir-oo-et’’) is where one picks one leg up and spins, while on the forward ball of

one foot. All of the ballet steps can be performed continuously, going from one step into another.

Table 3. Animal Movements

‘‘Rabbit’’ • The ‘‘rabbit’’ jumps on both feet with hands held tightly in front of the chest. At the ‘‘pond’’ the rabbit jumps over the

pond on two legs.

• Movement expression: Quiet

‘‘Chicken’’ • The ‘‘chicken’’ hops only on one leg while the arms flap like wings. At the ‘‘pond’’ the chicken hops over the pond on

one leg.

• Movement expression: Funny

‘‘Pony’’ • The ‘‘pony’’ alternates raising one knee then the other at 90 degree angles, similar to marching with the hands on the

hips. At the ‘‘pond’’, the pony extends the leg from that 90 degree angle to cross over the ‘‘pond’’ in one giant step

without ‘‘getting wet’’.

• Movement expression: Happy

‘‘Frog’’ • The ‘‘frog’’ starts in a squat position with hands on the floor. The frog leaps up into the air and finishes back on the

floor in the squat position with hands on the floor. At the ‘‘pond’’, the frog leaps over from one squat position to

another squat position.

• Movement expression: Excited

‘‘Swan’’ • The ‘‘swan’’ moves by walking on the balls of the feet with heels lifted off the floor (Relevee). The arms move gracefully

up and down as if moving a large wingspan. The swan gently glides over the ‘‘pond’’ on the balls of the feet.

• Movement expression: Graceful

28 Lorenzo-Lasa, Ideishi, and Ideishi

exclude other sensory inputs and participate in the

animal movement games.

Creative movement and music experiences have

been found to enhance cognitive flexibility, ideation,

and spatial temporal reasoning (Hetland, 2000;

Holmes & Geiger, 2002). These are important preschool

skills for children to learn how to negotiate a

playground, build structures out of objects, and play

games. Dance provides opportunities for children to

create movements as an expression of idea or thought

thereby expanding their imagination and ideation of

their body in space. The ballet technique and animal

movements challenge children to recall and connect

movement patterns with visual and auditory information,

animal images, or spatial planning. Transforming

French ballet words into actions challenge

the child to connect verbal cues to movement patterns

such as plie and souttee. Movement through dance

also integrates these experiences with music, counting,

memory and problem solving. Through repeated

reinforcement, children associate different modes or

tempos of music to particular movement styles and

count body movements to keep rhythm with the

music. For Child A., who was initially hyper-reactive

to sensory stimuli, movement through dance helped

with associational recall learning and creative

expansion of thought. After two months of participation,

Child A. was able to anticipate ideas based

merely on the movements he was shown. For example,

Child A. would create the requisite arm movements

when he would hear certain ballet music

demonstrating his recall and desire to participate in

the ‘‘duck, duck, swan’’ game. The creation of ideas is

an important cognitive skill for preschoolers to

interact and engage with others to form common

understanding of experience and social participation.

Social participation is a core element of movement

through dance. A child expressing his ideas and

connecting with others facilitates a child_s ability to

engage in social problem solving (Nikitina, 2003).

Referring to Child A., initially he had difficulty

staying with the group, minimally engaging with

other children, and repeatedly leaving the group

requiring adults to constantly redirect him. Through

the predictable dance routine and reinforcement of

movement and music ideas he could relate to, Child

A. began to tentatively wait for the next ballet technique

or wait his turn during the ‘‘duck, duck, swan’’

game.

Integrating learning within the family unit is a

major objective of many preschool curricula. The

ballet theme provides a spring board for carrying

over preschool activities into family and home interactions.

After a few weeks of participation in movement

through dance, Child N. came to preschool with

a picture of herself dancing at home in a ballet tutu.

Her mother reported Child N. showing an interest in

dance so her mother purchased a child_s play tutu as

well as taking her to a ballet performance of The

Nutcracker. Connecting movement through dance

activities within family routines is another example of

how preschool curricula facilitate social skills.

As stated above, movement through dance

facilitate motor, sensory, cognitive and social skills.

Movement through dance can teach children how to

manage different situations whether it is motor

planning, problem solving or social interactions.

Using movement as a basis for situational problem

solving is a less intimidating method to introduce low

stress experiences and help a child develop a repertoire

of emotional and coping responses (Boone &

Cunningham, 1998; Nikitina, 2003; Pica, 1997). For

example, initially Child C. did not show any interest

or affective response to the warm up or animal

exercises. He needed physical and verbal prompting

to initiate engagement in any of the exercises. Using

contrasting emotional cues with the animal exercises

such as the feelings of a ‘‘free and happy’’ versus a

‘‘hidden and scared’’ butterfly helped Child C. connect

with the movements. Using a consistent routine

with the animal emotions, Child C. would anticipate

hiding from the butterfly net and make different

sounds when hiding versus being free. The change in

expression and sound is an indicator of his understanding

of emotional range.

Other curricular activities can emerge from a

movement through dance experience. For example,

reading time can involve looking at books related to

dance and children making connections to their past

experiences. Creative activities where children express

an associated emotion through drawing and music

tempo can extend and generalize the experience to

other aspects of their life. Children can be encouraged

to explore new and creative uses of familiar objects

such as dress-up costumes, balls, hoops or free

flowing fabrics. Children using familiar objects in

new, creative and imaginary ways facilitate their abstract

thinking of the physical world through developing

multiple perspectives of a single concept. Other

structured art activities can include designing, drawing

and making stage backgrounds for a performance.

Other considerations for a movement through

dance program include: physical space, teacher

Preschool Movement 29

training, and community integration. The use of

space is inherently embedded in the nature of movement

and dance. Therefore, identifying an appropriate

space for movement is critical. Large open space

can facilitate movement direction and exploration

whereas small spaces can facilitate isolated movement

and specific patterns. Indoor versus outdoor space

creates different images and can be used to explore

creative movement patterns and emotions.

Teacher preparation and collaboration with

other professionals with movement expertise, such as

dance, physical and occupational therapists, helps to

reinforce and extend the purpose, objectives and sequence

of movement techniques into curricular and

therapeutic planning. Creating curricular linkages is

important for developing an integrated experience

rather than merely having isolated classroom events

and experiences. An integrated experience across the

curriculum allows children to develop different perspectives

of a single idea through repeated exposure

of inventing and experimenting with knowledge.

Routine schedules for movement experiences

create predictable and repeated learning opportunities.

Anticipated and repeated experiences allow

children to reinforce mastered movements and explore

new movements. Children develop awareness of

the perceptual and motor cues of movement so when

a variation occurs, the children can adapt more

readily to a situation based on their prior knowledge

(Shumway-Cook & Woollacott, 2007b). Therefore,

routine schedules help to build knowledge for

extending learning into new areas. Children can

participate in increasingly complex movement patterns

when the experience is repeated and predictable

within the curriculum.

Parent involvement increases the possibilities and

opportunities for children_s exposure and practice of

new experiences in the home and community. Invite

parents to participate in the program and ask the

children to show their parents what they have learned

in dance. Resources such as flyers with information

for dance classes in the community can easily be

copied and made available for those interested in

pursuing dance outside the preschool. Developing

and committing to a cultural arts program in a preschool

provides numerous opportunities for parent

and child interactions. Community outings focused

on cultural arts might include going to a theater to see

a ballet or music performance, or attending a children

_s program at an art museum. Many cities have

museums that focus on cultural and ethnic groups.

For example, a visit to a museum dedicated to the

African, Latino or Asian American experience can

extend the movement/dance program to other forms

of dance and reinforce the children_s connection to

their family and cultural heritage. Many cultural arts

organizations and centers have outreach programs

for children at reduced or nominal fees. Pursuing

grant funding is a cost effective use of resources to

support the above described movement, dance and

cultural arts programming. Community and cultural

arts programs encourage and empower parents to

explore community outings on their own.

CONCLUSION

A preschoolmovement through dance program is

a way to open the door to numerous benefits and

opportunities. Creating new contexts for learning enrich

young children and offer them different opportunities

to understand and negotiate the world. These

opportunities should be layered to facilitate children_s

meaning, intention and expression. Movement

through dance can accomplish this intent. Inclusive

curricular integration, and parent and community

participation are important components of a cultural

arts experience that deepen the children_s repertoire of

behavior and responses to the world. Early childhood

education practitioners are encouraged to creatively

explore their community and develop rich cultural

learning experiences for children. A cultural arts

program not only facilitates children_s skills but also

enriches the preschool teaching experience.

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