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Dance education is the transferring of dance performance skills and knowledge of dance to
students through teaching and training, or acquiring such knowledge and skills through
research. The art of dance uses different ways to explore the meaning of human experience. It
is far more than exercise or play. It is a powerful medium to express one's values, thoughts, and
aspirations about the lives we live and the world in which we live. It is a perfect combination
of physical activity, social interaction, and mental stimulation. Dancing enhances personal life
in many ways: health, confidence, self-expression, social contact, relaxation, and fun.
As Sri Lanka experiments with new forms of education and a better future after an extended
period of conflict, which had divisions within the country at its roots, a return of normalcy and
a lasting state of peace can only be brought about through getting our communities to
understand and embrace each other. Dance education can play a key role and entrust the youth
of this country with the responsibility for achieving peace. The modem era requires people who
are highly competent and youth who can be employed anywhere in the country and can
communicate and exchange ideas wherever they may be. If the dream of making every student
trilingual is realized, there will be no inequality or barriers within society and it will enhance
the trust among communities as it demonstrates each other’s willingness to bring about a change
for long-lasting social cohesion. Dance processes require students to use critical thinking skills,
excel in nonverbal reasoning and communication, exchange ideas, work cooperatively and
collaboratively with others, and interact within a multicultural society. More comprehensively,
education in the art of dance develops kinesthetic and spatial learning as well as infra and
interpersonal knowledge of self and others.
