Movement Experiences in Preschool Music Classes

Abstract

Active bodily involvement in music is a key component of musical understanding. Rudolf von Laban developed a movement framework introducing the “effort elements” of time, space, weight, and flow. He proposed that by experiencing combinations of these elements, individuals internalize a movement vocabulary that fosters expressive music performance. In this article, I discuss findings that have confirmed the importance of active bodily engagement in enhancing musical comprehension, and share practical considerations drawn from my experience in conducting preschool music classes based on Laban’s movement framework. The suggested playful activities provide music educators with a new perspective on incorporating movement in preschool music classes.

The Lighthouse Framework: Proposing a Movement-Based Constructivist Framework for Early Childhood Music Education and Pre-Service Education Programs

“…Papazachariou-Christoforou (2022) highlighted the importance of active bodily engagement in enhancing musical comprehension (p. 13). Nijs and Bremmer (2019) further emphasized that music educators can leverage the connections between physical experiences and musical comprehension to develop music activities centered around movement that encourage children to engage with and understand music.…”