Rhythms of Movement: Dance and Embodied Learning in Youth Work

The international Erasmus plus training course for youth workers explores dance and movement as tools for self-awareness, connection, and social reflection. Grounded in the idea that the body is a mirror of both the inner self and the surrounding world, the project investigates the two-way communication between body and mind and how movement can become a conscious, empowered act

The training aims to support the reconnection of young people with their bodies in response to challenges such as information overload, fast-paced urban lifestyles, and limited contact with nature. It seeks to introduce movement as a playful and accessible practice, and as a gentle way to question habitual patterns and imposed rhythms.

Drawing from contemporary dance practices, the training will explore play, improvisation, and rhythm as ways to go beyond daily movement patterns and explore new physical and emotional relations. The project will explore both indoor and outdoor spaces as active partners in movement and learning processes. In the second part, participants will reflect on their learning and investigate how to create additional tools themselves as a form of offering, which they can further develop into methodologies and offer in their own youth work contexts. 

Objectives of the project

• Explore the body as a tool for reflection, expression, and learning in youth work contexts.
• Strengthen a sense of wellbeing through movement, supporting the empowered participation of youth.
• Reflect on contemporary challenges faced by young people in relation to body image and physical wellbeing.
• Develop and adapt simple movement-based creative tools and practices that can be offered to young people in different youth work settings.
• Develop capacities of participating organisations to contribute to international youth work at the European level