Dance— A Path
to Self-Esteem
Exercise with a purpose for tweens and teens.
by Anna Lederfeind
PARENTGUIDE News January 2006
T here are those “peculiar” years,
when our bodies and our feelings begin to change.
These changes are somewhat like a geometric
form, a form with numerous sides: how the outside
world really sees us, how we look at ourselves,
how we believe the outside world looks at us.
These realities become uncomfortable for tweens
and teens. It is generally agreed that at these
times, the relationship between adolescents
and parents also dramatically alters. The reason
seems to be that many of theses changes bring
confusion and conflict. Tweens and teens feel
removed from the family dynamic and become more
isolated and introverted. Life turns into a
guessing game.
If we look at it from another perspective, adolescents
not only remove themselves physically from others
around them but they also remove themselves
from their own bodies. The mind/body connection
is altered and sometimes broken. Feelings get
all tangled up and anxiety rears its ugly head.
What is there to do? Tweens and teens often
watch TV, argue with everyone at home, wear
large clothing, eat more and sleep more. In
short, they act in ways to avoid judgments from
the outside world, and in turn they often neglect
themselves. What could possibly reconnect such
adolescents with their bodies and help them
regain their childhood spirit, without feeling
totally out of control? Dance!
A kick and a turn can bring pride and laughter
during this crucial time. Dance teaches how
to use the space around us, how to move in that
space and how to project our own personality
into that space. Growing up is all about carving
out space and finding one’s place.
As a dance instructor, I have witnessed the
many benefits of dance classes. Dance represents
an intensive method of exercise— there’s
the physical aspect of the movements, the mental
aspect of having to remember the combination
of steps and the musical aspect of moving through
space at tempo. Separately, it all seems quite
easy, but the actual maneuvering of all three
aspects together tends to start with a struggle
that ends in a significant sense of pride and
accomplishment.
In the midst of every dance class session, the
mind reconnects with the body and taps into
self-esteem. The support of peers, who not only
struggle together but accomplish together, helps
reinforce an aspiring dancer’s confidence.
These feelings bond the tweens/teens to this
experience and give them something to talk about
at home and at school.
The body is a vehicle of expression. As my students
learn to dance, they also learn about themselves.
In a time when they would rather shy away or
hide, movements and guidance to movements give
them a chance to look in the mirror and rediscover
their changing bodies. A chance to rediscover
themselves with pride, a pride they are eager
to share.
We all know that exercise is a necessary element
in achieving good health. We all know that good
health benefits not just the body but the mind,
too.
The beauty of dance is that it satisfies the
need for exercise as well as the body, because
it is physically demanding and it heals the
mind. The beauty of dance is that it allows
the body and mind to connect in such a way that
self-esteem can emerge, with staying power.
For example, I have been working with a lovely
10 year old (who I shall call Carol), who happens
to be a typical girl in her age group. Carol
is beautiful, intelligent and dynamic, but,
unfortunately, had considered herself as exactly
the opposite. She saw this in her eyes as well
as the eyes of others.
On the very first day we met, Carol walked into
class with her shoulders drooping, staring at
the ground and quiet as a mouse. Her lack of
self-esteem was larger than life. She began
the class somewhat reluctantly. Then, during
the dance combination exercise, she began to
look around and understand that she was not
the only one struggling. Understanding brought
her a sense of belonging.
Such understanding represents a critical moment
where dance can positively influence the mind
to connect to the body. Carol did not think
she knew the steps; she did not trust herself.
She felt awkward and did not want to look in
the mirror. Her body language, however, showed
me the opposite. What was missing was that she
did not believe in herself to do it on her own.
This is a window of opportunity for teacher-student
trust building. I stood still and shared my
total belief in her, asking that she try to
trust herself and that the exercise combination
would eventually happen.
Carol took a leap of faith. I could see the
tears welling in her eyes and her mouth twisting
to one side. She stepped into the center of
the floor, surrounded by her peers, and did
the combination. After a silent note, Carol
smiled. Positive feelings and pride overwhelmed
us both. We hugged. Carol has never missed a
class since and she doesn’t stare at the
floor any longer.
My time with Carol has confirmed my belief that
dance can be used as a vehicle to reconnect
the mind with the body. From my background as
a dancer and teacher, I know that the effect
of a good experience in dance class can last
forever. Dance challenges the body, along with
one’s ability to move with coordination
and rhythm, to look and deal positively with
realities in the mirror and to find a way to
move with poise from one step to another. Steps
can be physical and mental, and a continuing
topic of conversation with parents. Dance represents
an interest both parents and kids can share.
Not just an interest in dance but in each other,
as positive feelings and accomplishments are
usually shared.
I learn from my students as much, if not more,
than they do from me. For that, I will always
be thankful.
Anna Lederfeind is the director of the
Center for Dance and Body as well as the associate
director of the American Youth Dance Theater.
She trained at The Royal Ballet School, Bejart
Belgium, Russian method of Kirov and American
Dance Machine, NY, and served as principal
soloist for Swan Lake, Dream, Giselle, Sleeping
Beauty, Stone Flower and more. To contact
Lederfeind, visit www.AmericanYouthDanceTheater.com or
call (212)717-5419.
