woman dancing

Physical Literacy for Dancers: Informing Long-Term Development

an empty dance studio with mirror

The Problem

While dance has the strong potential to support lifelong movement, literature exploring physical literacy (PL) within dance is scarce. Until a clearer picture of the evidence of PL development within dance is obtained, there is no distinct path forward for targeting PL development in dance and tailoring policies around it.

PL Factors

There is little understanding of how individual factors, such as level of participation (e.g., recreational vs competitive) or environmental factors (e.g., instructor education and pedagogical strategies) can influence overall PL development.

PL Among Dancers

Despite the vast benefits that dance can provide within the context of PL and relevant outcomes, there is little understanding of PL and the delivery of PL within dance environments. 

people dancing

Study Measures and Objectives

The first objective of this project is to explore evidence of physical literacy domains already present in dance certifications that currently exist, by a content analysis.

Physical Literacy evident after the content analysis in the dance population at a competition, recreational, and university level will be explored using four assessments from the Physical Literacy Assessment of Youth (PLAY) toolkit.

Lastly, we will explore the knowledge and understanding of PL among dance educators, and seek to understand their perspective of a PL grounded framework and its relevance for use in dance.

Significance

Canada’s focus to increase physical activity has shifted to promote PL development across over 60 sports through standardized development frameworks. However, there is a gap in our understanding regarding what PL development is evident in the dance context as there is no regulatory governing body for dance as is available in other sports. This absence contributes to inconsistent pedagogical practices and limited infrastructure for safe, sustainable engagement. By aligning dance education with national PL initiatives and the widely adopted long-term development frameworks in sport, it’s anticipated that this study will lead to future research for improved instructional quality, further lifelong participation, and equitable access to the overall benefits of participating in dance. Gaining this fundamental knowledge will inform how development of PL is approached in dance moving forward.