Dance Mood Study

Dear Dance Educators

Dear Dance Educators,

We see you. The time, the energy, the love, and the leadership you pour into your classrooms every single day it matters more than you may ever know.

At Twinkle Star Dance, we’ve always known that dance is about far more than steps and technique. It's about people. It's about shaping resilient, confident, emotionally grounded children. And thanks to our ongoing dancer mood study, we now have the data to show what we’ve always felt in our hearts: you are a powerful, positive force in the lives of your students.

Why This Study Matters—And Why You Matter

In a world where anxiety and disconnection are on the rise, your studio has become more than a place to learn dance—it’s a haven. Our dance mood study is tracking dancer experiences across every age, every style, every teacher—and what we’re seeing is extraordinary.

  • Dance lifts mood—consistently.

  • Students feel safer, stronger, and more connected after class.

  • And the biggest difference-maker? YOU.

Instructors who bring warmth, experience, and emotional presence create noticeable shifts in their dancers. You’re not just teaching choreography—you’re helping kids feel seen, supported, and strong.

What Makes This Research Special

Most arts-based studies happen in labs or clinics. Ours happens in our studios—where the real magic happens. We’re collecting weekly mood data from actual classes, then analyzing it in real-time to see what really helps students thrive.

  • We’re discovering how things like class type, time of day, frequency of attendance, and teacher experience impact mood.

  • We’re learning how to design classes that don’t just build skill—but build emotional health.

  • And we’re doing it all so that we can support YOU better in the amazing work you’re already doing.

What the Data Is Saying

Early results are clear:

  • Experienced, emotionally present teachers are helping students experience the most joy and the greatest emotional growth.

  • Dance is acting as a protective layer—especially for kids who are shy, anxious, or going through a tough time.

  • And over time, students who stick with dance are developing higher baseline moods and emotional resilience.

This isn’t just encouraging—it’s transformative. And it’s happening because of you.

You Are the Difference

You may not always see the full ripple effect of your encouragement, your smile, or the way you listen. But our research is capturing it—and confirming what we’ve always known: you are a steady, positive force in your students’ lives.

In your classroom, kids find:

  • Belonging in a world that often isolates.

  • Self-expression in a world that often silences.

  • Resilience in a world that often overwhelms.

What This Means for You

This study isn’t about evaluating you—it’s about supporting you. The insights we’re gathering will help us:

  • Refine schedules and class types to better serve different ages and moods.

  • Offer professional development based on what’s working best emotionally and academically.

  • Provide real feedback that helps you advocate for the tools and resources you need.

We know how hard you work. We know how deeply you care. And we know that what happens in your studio each week is shaping lives in ways most people never see.

This study is putting that impact into words and numbers—but the real power has always been you.

Thank you for being a guide, a mentor, and a light.
Together, we’re doing more than teaching dance. We’re building happier, healthier, more hopeful kids—and that is a legacy to be proud of.

With gratitude,
Tiffany and the Twinkle Star Dance team

Join Us to Promote Dancer Well-Being

We are thrilled to share an exciting new research initiative from the University of Pennsylvania, in collaboration with Raising the Barre and Tiffany’s Dance Academy. Our pioneering study, "Mood Changes in Dance Classes for Children and Adolescents," aims to quantify the emotional benefits of regular dance practice in alleviating anxiety and depression among adolescent females.

Why This Matters:
Led by Tiffany Henderson, owner of Tiffany’s Dance Academy and lead investigator at UPenn, this longitudinal study will track dancers' mood states over several years using the PANAS-C (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule - Child Form) and a custom-designed mood-tracking app. Inspired by the research of psychologist Jonathan Haidt, the study seeks to explore how dance can serve as a powerful intervention in an era where adolescent mental health is at risk.

Study Highlights:
- Regular mood assessments using PANAS-C
- Real-time tracking before and after dance classes
- Long-term follow-up to evaluate the impact of dance on mental well-being

“We’re not just teaching dance; we’re potentially offering a lifeline to adolescents struggling with mental health issues,” says Henderson. “This study could validate what many in the dance community have long suspected – that dance has the power to transform lives.”

Enrollment Now Open!
We are currently enrolling participants from Tiffany’s Dance Academy, with plans to expand to additional studios in the future. Findings from this research could reshape the way we approach dance education and youth mental health interventions.

Join us for more information on the study and how you can use positive psychology to enhance your dancer well-being: https://bit.ly/40D1uEz

📖 Learn more: https://www.raisingthebarredance.org/upenn-mood-study

For inquiries, please contact:
Tiffany Henderson
Lead Investigator, UPenn
📩 mood@raisingthebarredance.org