Dance Creativity in Kindergarten: Improvisation as a Method for Identifying Dance Talent in Children

Authors

Ana Tina Jurgec
University of Maribor, Faculty of Education
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7683-4733

Synopsis

Dance improvisation is a spontaneous and free form of expression that intertwines movement and imagination, creating space for creativity. The creativity expressed through dance improvisation represents a key category in identifying dance talent in children, as it provides insight into their ability for free expression and original movement. The aim of our study was to explore the characteristics of dance improvisation in early childhood, with a focus on physical activity and the formation of movement in children. We employed a quantitative research approach, collecting data through an observational protocol. The study included 246 children aged 5–6 years from 38 public kindergartens across Slovenia. Our findings serve as an important foundation for further research on monitoring dance improvisation in preschool children and for a deeper understanding of the role of body movement in children's creative dance expression.

Author Biography

Ana Tina Jurgec, University of Maribor, Faculty of Education

Ana Tina Jurgec is a senior lecturer in Dance Education Didactics at the University of Maribor's Faculty of Education. Her research field is dance in the preschool period Formerly a ballet ensemble member at the Slovenian National Theatre Maribor, she studied pedagogy and Slovenian language at the University's Faculty of Arts. With years of experience teaching ballet to children in music schools, she now imparts this knowledge to her students. Additionally, she's pursuing a PhD in Educational Sciences at the same university, specializing in preschool dance research. 

Maribor, Slovenia. E-mail: ana.jurgec1@um.si

Downloads

Published

June 13, 2025

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Jurgec, A. T. (2025). Dance Creativity in Kindergarten: Improvisation as a Method for Identifying Dance Talent in Children. In B. Kovačič (Ed.), Selected Contemporary Research on Special Needs, Giftedness, and Talent in Slovenia (pp. 199-216). University of Maribor Press. https://press.um.si/index.php/ump/catalog/book/976/chapter/650