An Introduction to the Neuroscience of Dance

By Sofia Amaral Martins

This book introduces the neurological foundations of dance and explores how movement engages perception, memory, emotion, creativity, and learning. Drawing on research from neuroscience, psychology, and dance studies, the book examines dance as both a complex motor skill and a meaningful human practice, with applications in education, performance, and health contexts.

Written in accessible language, it is intended for dancers, educators, therapists, students, and general readers interested in the brain mechanisms underlying dance and in how dance practice shapes the brain. Scientific concepts are presented through clear explanations and embodied perspectives, linking theory to lived experience and practice.

By placing dance at the centre of neuroscientific inquiry, the book offers a coherent and integrative account of how brain, body, and environment interact through creative movement.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 3032246148
• ISBN13: 9783032246141
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan