National dance, as an artistic expression, provides children the opportunity to express emotions through movement, and its integration into the educational setting fosters key processes such as peer interaction, communication, empathy, and collaborative work. The review aimed to synthesize the scientific evidence on the contributions of national dance to the development of social skills in childhood. It applied a systematic review following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. 22 studies published between 2016 and 2026 were included, and their findings were analyzed through a narrative synthesis. Although the findings varied in terms of population, study design, and type of intervention the studies showed a favourable trend in areas such as communication, empathy, cooperation, and social interaction. Therefore, the evidence showed favourable results associated with educational dance, although the heterogeneity of the studies constrains the generalization of its effects.
National dance, as an artistic expression, provides children the opportunity to express emotions through movement, and its integration into the educational setting fosters key processes such as peer interaction, communication, empathy, and collaborative work. The review aimed to synthesize the scientific evidence on the contributions of national dance to the development of social skills in childhood. It applied a systematic review following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. 22 studies published between 2016 and 2026 were included, and their findings were analyzed through a narrative synthesis. Although the findings varied in terms of population, study design, and type of intervention the studies showed a favourable trend in areas such as communication, empathy, cooperation, and social interaction. Therefore, the evidence showed favourable results associated with educational dance, although the heterogeneity of the studies constrains the generalization of its effects. Read More