An Examination of the Holistic Development of Adolescence and the Creative Process in Dance Education

Abstract

The psychologist Jean Piaget called the cognitive development changes during adolescence the formal operations stage, during which adolescents become adept at mentally manipulating the world around them and systematically manipulating variables during scientific experimentation. Adolescence is also a time for rapid psychological development. There are certain characteristics of adolescence holistic development that are more deep-seated in culture than in human biology or psychological structures. Learning has been defined as the "symbolic and behavioral heritage received from the past that provides a community framework for what is valued”. Precept is learned and socially shared, and it affects all aspects of an individual's life. Social responsibilities, sexual expression, and belief system development, for instance, are all things that are likely to vary by evolution. Combinations of behavioral studies have demonstrated that the development of executive functions, i.e. cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills, that enable the control and coordination of thoughts and behavior are generally associated with the preferential. The purpose of this study is to examine the psychological foundation of adolescence within the creative process in dance and to examine how the creation of dance affects holistic development in Adolescence. The Method of study is qualitative and the data analysis is based on content analysis. Dance educators may find this information useful to design dance curriculum. The growing body of knowledge on dance and learning may help educators to find effective ways in which dance can facilitate learning during adolescence. This study contributes to our understanding of how learning takes place through movement-creation, and provides evidence that helps dance educators to be advocates for the integration of Sri Lankan art forms into the secondary school curriculum. While it is likely that dance has many links with learning in traditional academic settings, this focus has practical benefits because public education, in general, privileges adolescence development.