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

Lucy Woodham, Jazmín Cevasco

Arts & Health September 15, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/17533015.2025.2560891 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Mixed-methods online design Peer reviewed
Sample size 64
Population Adult dancers aged 21-45 from ten countries and diverse genres
Topics Meditation
Keywords 4e cognition Dance Embodied cognition Mental wellbeing
Key points Only the 'Connection to Body' subscale of the Embodied Mindfulness Questionnaire supported the hypothesis, and dancers achieve connection to the body through pathways distinct from embodied mindfulness, such as self-care.

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.

Comparable studies

Other qualitative studies on meditation, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
The varieties of contemplative experience: A mixed-methods study of meditation-related challenges in Western Buddhists Western Buddhist meditation practitioners and experts in Theravāda, Zen, and Tibetan... 2017 Qualitative study with mixed-methods
The Effects of Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction on Nurse Stress and Burnout Nurses in a hospital system 2004 Implementation study with mixed methods
An exploratory mixed methods study of the acceptability and effectiveness of mindfulness -based cognitive therapy for patients with active depression and anxiety in primary care Primary care patients with recurrent depression or recurrent depression and anxiety 2006 Exploratory mixed methods study n = 13
A qualitative study of mindfulness‐based cognitive therapy for depression Participants in mindfulness-based cognitive therapy in a mental-health context 2001 Qualitative study n = 7
Effortless awareness: using real time neurofeedback to investigate correlates of posterior cingulate cortex activity in meditators' self-report Meditators 2013 Qualitative study using grounded theory methodology

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