Dancing Mindfulness: A Phenomenological Investigation of the Emerging Practice.
Explore 2015 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2015.07.001 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative phenomenological study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 10 |
| Population | Women who first learned Dancing Mindfulness in a community-based setting |
| Intervention | Dancing Mindfulness |
| Topics | Meditation Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Dance Body awareness Bodyfulness Wellness |
| Citations | 24 |
| Key findings | The women reported positive experiences with Dancing Mindfulness, with improvements in emotional and spiritual well-being, acceptance, and real-world mindfulness application, driven by dancing and music. |
Abstract
An extensive review of both quantitative and qualitative literature reveals numerous connections between mindfulness practice and psychological well-being. Dancing Mindfulness, as a holistic wellness practice, is a creative approach to mindfulness meditation that draws on dance as the vehicle for engaging in the ancient practice characterized by non-judgment, loving kindness, and present-centered awareness. Of the first participants who learned the Dancing Mindfulness practice in a community-based setting, 10 shared their lived experience with the practice, and these experiences were analyzed using A.P. Giorgi׳s descriptive phenomenological psychological method. As a collective sample, the women described positive experiences with the Dancing Mindfulness practice. Specific themes indicated improvements in emotional and spiritual well-being, increased acceptance, positive changes to the self, and increased application of mindfulness techniques and strategies to real-world living. Another thematic area suggested that dancing and music are the two major components of action within Dancing Mindfulness leading to these benefits.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 7
- If It All Comes Down to Bodily Awareness, How Do We Know? Assessing Bodily Awareness Kinesiology Review August 1, 2020
- Mindful Embodied Movement: Study Protocol for a 12-Week Modern Dance-Mindfulness Intervention and Mixed-Methods Randomized Controlled Trial in Recreational Adult Dancers Methods and Protocols March 3, 2026
- Dancing is a gift for the body: exploring embodied mindfulness and influences of dance on wellbeing. Arts & Health September 15, 2025
- Embodied Mindfulness Through Movement: A Scoping Review of Dance-Based Interventions for Mental Well-Being in Recreational Populations. Healthcare September 5, 2025
- The psychological aspects within the Yogyakartan Bedhaya: An exploratory study on royal court dancers Culture & Psychology December 21, 2022
and 2 more in the library
Cites 13
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Long-term meditators self-induce high-amplitude gamma synchrony during mental practice Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 8, 2004
- What does mindfulness really mean? A canonical perspective Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- Minding one’s emotions: Mindfulness training alters the neural expression of sadness. Emotion February 1, 2010
- Body Awareness: a phenomenological inquiry into the common ground of mind-body therapies Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine 2011
and 8 more in the library