Dance lessons at the after-school center : A qualitative study about dance, being with others and learning so much more

This study is about dance lessons at the after-school center and about how dance can contribute to fun-filled play, participation and the child´s development. The purpose of this essay is thus to explore how dance in a leisure pedagogical context can be developed and how children's participation can be promoted and how teaching dance at the leisure center can be made possible. The empirical material for the study consists of interviews with six school and leisure educators as well as educators who work with dance in other areas. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed in detail and anchored in the theme of this study. The results of the qualitative survey suggest that all educators are positive to work with dance at the after-school center. At the same time, requests were made for changes in the activities to increase the quality of teaching so that the aesthetic learning processes can take place in general. What is further expressed in the interviews is doubt about whether these changes can be implemented. With regard to the informants' experiences of planning activities at the leisure center and their positive attitude towards teaching dance or other aesthetic forms of expression, I problematize how this work can be concretized. I hope that the results of the survey will be able to contribute to an increased reflection for educators in leisure activities and that they will be able to reflect on the vital possibilities of dance. My hope is also that further research will be done in the field of dance as an art, play and creative pedagogical learning at the leisure center and that such a pedagogical and artistic expression will be further practiced as well.