Mythbusting Misconceptions about Thematic Teaching in Dance

Mythbusting Thematic Learning in Preschool Dance

Welcome back to the Dance to Learn® Podcast — the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast hosted by Jessica Strong! In this episode, Jessica dives into one of her favorite topics: themes — and busts five of the most common myths about thematic learning in early childhood dance.

Discover why themes aren’t fluff, but powerful tools for brain development, child-centered engagement, and meaningful connection. Learn how the Dance to Learn® Curriculum uses themes to support whole-child learning through real-world experiences, movement, and play.

🔥 In this episode, Jessica busts myths like:

• “Themes are teacher-directed and teacher-owned”
• “Themes are meaningless or just about holidays or unicorns”
• “Themes block original thinking”
• “Themes lead to imitation, not interpretation”
• “Themes and transitions limit challenge and engagement”

🎧 Plus, hear how you can be featured on the podcast through our weekly Ask the Pod thread in the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Forum on Facebook.

👉 Want to go deeper? Join the Dance to Learn® Membership to access exclusive Dance EdVenturist Podcast episodes filled with actionable strategies and classroom tips.

📎 Links Mentioned:

• Join the Membership: https://library.dancetolearn.co/pages/join-us
• Join the Facebook Forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/preschooldanceteachersforum
• Email your questions: podcast@dancetolearn.co
• Learn more about Dance Dance Hooray: https://www.dancedancehooray.com

Thanks for listening — and until next time, Happy Dancing!

Transcript

Welcome back to the Dance to Learn® Podcast — the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Podcast! I’m your host, Jessica Strong, and a big thank you to our Season 6 sponsor, Dance Dance Hooray!

Today’s episode I’m Mythbusting Misconceptions about Themes and thematic learning. Before I dive into our topic today, I want to pause and remind you of my hope for the Podcast. My goal for the Dance to Learn® podcast is to elevate real voices from our dance teaching community — yours! I want to hear your stories, questions, and challenges, and help you feel more confident in your classroom. This is a new layout for the podcast, so it’s going to take me talking about it for the first few episodes to get the word out! Today I don’t have a listener question, but that’s alright because I’m talking about one of my favorite topics - Themes! 

Want to be featured on the show?
 Join the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Forum on Facebook, where you’ll find our weekly Ask the Pod post every Friday. Drop your questions there through Monday evening. Then on Tuesday, I open Pod Talk, a chance for your fellow teachers to chime in with their tips and advice.

If your question is selected, I’ll feature you using your first name and last initial — or you can remain anonymous by emailing me at podcast@dancetolearn.co and I’ll post on your behalf.

Be sure to check the show notes for the link to the Forum. I can't wait to hear from you!

Now let’s get into today’s episode, all about Themes! 

First, a little history lesson! Did you know that Dance to Learn® was the Curriculum I created for my afterschool Dance Program: Dance Exploration? Dance Exploration was my first business that I started way back in 2009! I wanted my dance classes to compliment what the children were learning in school. This wasn’t just for me - in studying how the  brain grows and creates brain connections, I knew that repeated experiences built connections in the brain that would survive synaptic pruning! The more the dancers were exposed to the same materials and ideas - the stronger the connections! Turn this learning into a full brain + body experience through movement and dance & we create an even greater opportunity for those developing brains to spark connections! One thing I always did when walking into a school was peek at the billboards. The billboards were always decorated with the themes and topics children were learning. They were usually always seasonal which made creating the themes for Dance to Learn® that much easier. 

Besides powerful brain connections, here are a few more reasons we believe in Thematic Learning at Dance to Learn: 

First is Experiential learning, or learning from experiences. Experiential learning improves brain connections by actively engaging multiple areas of the brain, leading to stronger synaptic pathways. When children participate in hands-on, movement-based activities, like those in a Dance to Learn® class, they repeatedly use and reinforce specific neural circuits. This process helps strengthen brain connections, enhancing memory, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills. By moving and interacting with their environment, children also engage their senses, which further supports the integration of new information, making it easier to recall and apply later on. The more they experience, the more robust these connections become, supporting Whole-Child development.

Second themes build meaningful connections. In the Dance to Learn® Curriculum, themes help dancers build knowledge and make meaningful connections through real-world experiences. By incorporating thematic learning into our dance classes, children engage in movement that relates directly to the world around them, allowing them to explore dance concepts in a way that enhances both their Whole-Child development.

Thirdly themes promote cohesion. In a Dance to Learn® class, themes provide a unified context for organizing dance activities, allowing children to connect new dance concepts to a central idea. Instead of disjointed exercises, each movement, game, and discussion is tied to the Thematic Dance EdVenture™, creating a cohesive learning experience. This thematic approach helps children build a growing web of knowledge, as they explore dance concepts within the context of the theme. By integrating new dance skills with familiar, real-world experiences, children are better able to understand and retain the information, enriching their Whole Child development through a seamless, meaningful learning journey.

Lastly, Themes are engaging! To ensure that our themes are engaging, Dance to Learn® incorporates a multi-sensory approach to Thematic Dance Education by incorporating stimulating tools and props that spark our students' interest and enhance the learning experience. These tools include concept visuals, story books, multi-sensory props, thematic obstacle courses, engaging music and more!

Let’s take a quick break to hear from our Season 6 Sponsor - Dance Dance Hooray! When I come back, we will do some myth busting about themes and ways to keep thematic learning relevant! 

Thank you Corey! We love Dance Dance Hooray here at Dance to Learn® Corey has provided us with all of our Tap Dance EdVentures sold individually and available through our Membership! 

Who’s ready for some Mythbusting! I know I am! I’m going to share 5 Myths I’ve heard about Thematic teaching! Why these Misconceptions, are just not the case. Let’s get into it! 

MYTH:

Themes are teacher-directed and teacher-owned.

TRUTH:
 Themes are bridges — not boundaries. While teachers may introduce a theme, the best ones are rooted in the child’s real-world experiences, not just the teacher’s lesson plan.

Think about it: when a child visits a pumpkin patch with their family, and then comes to class to explore pumpkins through movement, that learning becomes meaningful, memorable, and theirs. The theme isn't owned by the teacher — it’s shared, lived, and expanded through the child’s lens.

In a Conceptualized-Thematic Curriculum like Dance to Learn®, themes are tools to connect learning to life. They activate prior knowledge, tap into imagination, and give children a voice in how the theme unfolds through movement, story, and play.

Great themes don’t control the class — they invite children in. They reflect what kids see, feel, and experience in the world around them, making the classroom an extension of their lives, not a detour from it.

MYTH:
 Themes are meaningless or irrelevant — they’re just fluff like Christmas, unicorns, or superheroes.

TRUTH:
 Themes are powerful learning tools — when they’re rooted in developmental purpose.

It’s true that many classrooms rely on themes that are holiday-driven, fantasy-based, or culturally narrow. And while these may seem fun, they often lack relevance for every child in the room — especially those who don’t celebrate certain holidays or identify with specific characters or gender roles.

At Dance to Learn®, we believe that themes should do more than decorate a lesson — they should educate, include, and connect. That’s why we use four foundational theme categories:

1. All About Me – supporting identity, autonomy, and body awareness
   
   
   
2. Seasons – helping children experience the rhythm of time and change
   
   
   
3. Nature – connecting movement to the world around us
   
   
   
4. Ecosystems – fostering curiosity and a sense of belonging within a greater whole
   
   
   

These categories ensure every theme is developmentally appropriate, culturally flexible, and conceptually rich. Instead of focusing on superficial content, our themes create space for critical thinking, symbolic play, and embodied learning.

Themes aren’t fluff — they’re frameworks. And when chosen wisely, they give every child a chance to see themselves and expand their world.

MYTH:
 Themes block original thinking.

TRUTH:
 When done right, themes ignite original thinking.

The idea that themes limit creativity assumes they dictate exactly what and how children should think. But in a conceptualized-thematic approach, like the Dance to Learn® Method, themes are invitations, not instructions.

A well-crafted theme provides a shared starting point — not a fixed outcome. It gives children a context to explore ideas, ask questions, make connections, and express themselves uniquely through movement. The theme doesn't say what to think — it asks, "What do you notice? What do you imagine? How can you move this idea?"

In fact, themes enhance creativity by narrowing the focus just enough to spark deep exploration. Without a theme, children may feel overwhelmed by too many choices. With the right theme, they feel inspired to create within a meaningful, connected world.

Themes are not cages for creativity — they’re launchpads for innovation.

MYTH:
 In a Thematic approach children simply imitate the adult’s understanding.

TRUTH:
 A true thematic approach invites interpretation, not imitation.

In the Dance to Learn® Curriculum, themes aren’t about performing a teacher’s version of an idea — they’re about exploring a concept from the child’s point of view. Thematic learning becomes meaningful when it connects to a child’s lived experiences, imagination, and developmental stage.

Rather than mimic the adult’s knowledge, children are encouraged to express what the theme means to them — through movement, symbolic play, and open-ended questions. For example, when exploring the theme of "trees," one child might move like a swaying branch, while another curls up like a seed. Each response is valid, original, and guided by the child’s understanding, not the teacher’s script.

Research in early childhood education emphasizes that creativity and cognition flourish when children are co-constructors of knowledge — not passive recipients. In a Conceptualized-Thematic approach, the teacher is a facilitator, not a director. The theme provides the spark; the child brings the flame.

MYTH:
 Themes come with Class Routines and Transitions that often limit challenge and active engagement.

TRUTH:
 When intentionally structured, class routines and transitions become powerful tools for deep engagement and developmental challenge.

This myth assumes that routine and rhythm stifle creativity — but in reality, young children thrive on predictable structures when those structures are designed with purpose. In the Dance to Learn® Curriculum, our class flow, routines and transitions aren’t rigid constraints — they are carefully sequenced invitations into curiosity, focus, and movement.

Transitions aren’t just about moving from one activity to the next — they are learning moments. Whether it’s a transition song, a movement prompt, or a sensory cue, these moments are infused with opportunities for:

• Self-regulation (through rhythmic cues and consistent rituals)
  
  
  
• Cognitive flexibility (by connecting one concept to the next)
  
  
  
• Kinesthetic learning (as children move between spaces and ideas)
  
  
  
• Creative thinking (as transitions become part of the narrative or thematic journey)
  
  
  

When paired with a conceptualized theme, transitions become meaningful story beats — not interruptions. And with age-appropriate pacing, the lesson’s time frame scaffolds the child’s attention span, supports sensory regulation, and challenges students to engage more deeply.

In short, well-designed routines don’t limit engagement — they unlock it.

Now that I’m done Mythbusting - which was super fun, especially with a topic that is near and dear to my heart, I want to share some tips on how we can ensure that our thematic experiences remain child-focused and relevant. How to ensure our themes inspire creative thinking, invite interpretation, and create engagement. However, these tips will be shared on the Dance EdVenturist Podcast inside the Dance to Learn® Membership! That’s right I’ve started an exclusive podcast for my members - who are known as Dance EdVenturists. Dance Educators who believe in the power of Conceptualized-Thematic Learning, multi-sensory experiences, child-centered dance classes and the power of play! If that sounds like you, I invite you to join me and our community of Dance EdVenturists in the Membership. I’ve shared a link to join in the Show Notes! 

Thank you so much for joining me on today’s episode of the Dance to Learn® Podcast! If you want your questions answered, are seeking solutions to  a problem you’re experiencing in the classroom or need advice on a situation - you can Ask the Pod every Friday through Monday in the Preschool Dance Teacher’s Forum on Facebook! I can’t wait to hear from you! 

Until next time, Happy Dancing!