Abstract
It is believed that educable mentally retarded (EMR) adolescents may exhibit problems in social and physical development in comparison with their normal peers. Dance education may be one way in which the physical and social development of EMR adolescents can be improved. To date, however, there is little empirical support for the effects of teaching dance to EMR adolescents. The purpose of this investigation was to study the effects of a 10-week dance program on EMR adolescents. A multiple measurement approach was employed to assess potential effects. Results suggested that the nature of participation, the consistency of participation, and the design of the curriculum are factors that affect the improvement of social and physical behaviors such as cooperation, dance skills, increased movement repertoire, rhythms, leadership, and successful peer teaching.
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