The Potential Impact of Dance for Disabled Young Adults

Research has shown that dance may greatly benefit the disabled community. Regular participation in dance classes has been shown to have a positive effect on participants mood (Barnstaple & DeSouza, 2017; Houston & McGill, 2012) while participation in community and leisure activities is linked to quality of life (QoL) measures of emotional and physical well-being in disabled populations (Badia, Orgaz, Verdugo, Ulln, & Martinez, 2013; Savage, McConnell, Emerson, & Llewellyn, 2014). A dance class designed for disabled adults was trialed with eight participants in ten classes over five weeks. This class design, rooted in a disability rights model, provides dance training as taught in a typical dance studio. Results from nine hours of video, three hours of recorded participant interviews, field notes, and research team observations indicate positive outcomes for both the participants and the class design. Participants showed increases in their dance knowledge and understanding, creativity, and social cohesion.