In this episode Rosy Boa interviews dance psychology science communicator and West Coast swing teacher Clara Dieters about applying psychology to dance. They discuss how dance differs from other movement activities through artistic expression, and how dancers can balance self-expression with external validation by recognizing multiple reasons for dancing beyond judges’ approval. Clara suggests coping with post-competition disappointment by setting specific, measurable goals and evaluating them afterward to regain control in unpredictable competition settings like Jack and Jill. They cover the “glitter crash” after festivals, explaining it as a drop below baseline following high endorphin, oxytocin, and dopamine levels, and recommend gentle movement and light socializing. Clara shares implementation intentions/habit stacking for fitting short dance practice into daily transitions, and offers stepwise strategies to build improvisation comfort. They also address cautious science communication around claims about dance and depression, and mention research on synchrony increasing pain threshold as a proxy for endorphin release.

Follow Clara: https://www.instagram.com/clara.deiters.wcs

Try a sample class: https://mailchi.mp/slinkthroughstrength.com/free-pole-flow-class

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Chapters:

00:00 Welcome and Teaser

00:30 Membership and Free Class

01:24 Meet Clara Dieters

02:52 Dance as Art and Sport

05:48 Validation and Belonging

08:23 Post Competition Tools

11:53 Glitter Crash Explained

14:44 Habits When Life Is Hard

17:49 Improv Confidence Building

23:08 Dance and Depression Claims

25:30 Science Communication Challenges

28:09 Synchrony and Endorphins

29:56 One Big Takeaway

31:29 Where to Find Clara

32:23 Final Wrap Up

Citations:

Prudente, T. P., Mezaiko, E., Silveira, E. A., & Nogueira, T. E. (2024). Effect of dancing interventions on depression and anxiety symptoms in older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Behavioral Sciences, 14(1), 43.

Tarr, B., Launay, J., & Dunbar, R. I. M. (2016). Silent disco: Dancing in synchrony leads to elevated pain thresholds and social closeness. Evolution and Human Behavior, 37(5), 343–349. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2016.02.004

Teixeira-Machado, L., Arida, R. M., & de Jesus Mari, J. (2019). Dance for neuroplasticity: A descriptive systematic review. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 96, 232-240.

Mansfield, L., Kay, T., Meads, C., Grigsby-Duffy, L., Lane, J., John, A., ... & Victor, C. (2018). Sport and dance interventions for healthy young people (15–24 years) to promote subjective well-being: a systematic review. BMJ open, 8(7), e020959.

McKenzie K, Bowes R, Murray K (2021) Effects of dance on mood and potential of dance as a mental health intervention. Mental Health Practice. doi: 10.7748/mhp.2021.e1522