The benefits of dance-informed OT for autistic children and adults

Evidence-informed practice meets creative movement at TheraDance

Kate Reilly, Occupational Therapist | Founder, TheraDance

Many autistic people experience motor, sensory and social-motor differences alongside strengths and interests. Dance-informed occupational therapy (drawing on classical dance/ballet principles) blends rhythm, posture, balance, sequencing and expression—elements that can map neatly onto common goals in therapy. The evidence base is growing; below is what research suggests so far.

What a dance-informed OT session may include

• Posture & balance: body alignment work, supported balances, weight transfers, sequencing

• Strength & endurance: graded pliés, rises, travelling steps, low-impact jumps where appropriate.

• Coordination: short phrases combining arms/legs; crossing midline; directional changes.

• Praxis & imitation: copy-back drills, mirroring, call-and-response patterns.

• Synchrony & participation: unison or canon sequences in pairs/small groups.

• Balance & postural control

  Barre and centre work use slow weight shifts, holds and controlled transitions that train static and dynamic balance. Early trials suggest dance-based programs may improve balance for autistic students.

  Read the study (open PDF): https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Georgios-Lykesas/publication/359025802_THE_EFFECTIVENESS_OF_A_TRADITIONAL_DANCE_PROGRAM_ON_BALANCE_OF_PRIMARY_EDUCATION_STUDENTS_WITH_AUTISM_SPECTRUM_DISORDER/links/622346073c53d31ba4a8d9e4/THE-EFFECTIVENESS-OF-A-TRADITIONAL-DANCE-PROGRAM-ON-BALANCE-OF-PRIMARY-EDUCATION-STUDENTS-WITH-AUTISM-SPECTRUM-DISORDER.pdf

• Gross-motor coordination (arms & legs together, aiming/catching)

  Phrase work coordinates arms and legs in time with music; travelling steps and turns build multi-segment control. A randomised, waitlist-controlled pilot of a classical/contemporary dance program reported feasibility and signals of improvement on BOT-2 subtests (e.g., aiming & catching).

  
  Read the study (open manuscript): https://researchmgt.monash.edu/ws/portalfiles/portal/548785013/540180910_oa.pdf

• Strength, agility & functional endurance (often described as “low tone/weakness”)

  Graded pliés, rises, travelling sequences and floorwork provide safe lower-limb and core loading; repeated sequences build time-on-task. In a pilot randomised comparison, creative movement and general movement outperformed seated play on coordination, agility/strength, locomotion and walking endurance.
  

  Study info (journal page): https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rasd.2024.102428

• Motor planning / praxis & imitation

  Learning set sequences and mirroring a partner challenges planning and copy-back skills in a motivating, rhythmic context. An RCT of rhythm-embedded movement reported improvements in imitation/praxis and interpersonal synchrony vs control.

  
  Read the study (open access): https://www.hindawi.com/journals/aurt/2015/736516/

• Interpersonal synchrony (social timing with others)

  Unison, canon and partner timing embed “move together” skills that underpin turn-taking and participation. A pilot RCT comparing creative movement, general movement and sedentary play found improvements in interpersonal synchrony alongside favourable neural changes (fNIRS).

  
  Read the study (open access):https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/7/683

• Overall sensorimotor function

  Dance is multisensory (vestibular, proprioceptive, visual, auditory) and whole-body, aligning with many OT goals. A systematic review of creative-movement therapies (including dance) reports promising effects for motor and social domains, with a need for more rigorous dance-specific RCTs.
  

  Read the review (open access):https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.722874/full

• Emotional regulation & wellbeing

  Breath–movement coupling, expressive tasks and mirrored attunement may support co-regulation in groups. A systematic review of Dance Movement Psychotherapy for autistic children suggests potential benefits for wellbeing; study quality varies and more RCTs are needed.

  Read the review (open access):https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.719673/full

Full References

1. Amonkar N, Su W-C, Bhat AN, Srinivasan SM. Effects of Creative Movement Therapies… Frontiers in Psychiatry (2021) – systematic review of creative-movement (incl. dance) across social, motor, cognitive domains. Frontiers

2. Aithal S, Moula Z, Karkou V. Dance Movement Psychotherapy for children with ASD – systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology (2021). Frontiers

3. Su W-C, Srinivasan S, Bhat A. Creative movement vs general movement vs seated play – pilot RCT on motor performance. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders (2024). (Journal page; see study summaries.) ScienceDirect+1

4. Srinivasan SM, et al. Rhythm-based movement RCT – imitation/praxis & interpersonal synchrony improvements. Autism Research and Treatment (2015). Open-access. Wiley Online Library

5. Su W-C, et al. Neural effects of creative movement vs general movement vs sedentary play – pilot RCT with behavioural + neural outcomes. Brain Sciences (2025). Open-access. MDPI

6. Lykesas G, et al. Traditional dance RCT (balance) – school-based 4-week program improving balance vs control. Open PDF. ResearchGate

7. AllPlay Dance randomised waitlist-controlled pilot (classical/contemporary, Australia) – feasibility/acceptability with preliminary motor signals. Open-access author PDF. Research Management

8. ADAPT Ballet RCT (registered) – 12-week recreational ballet trial in autistic children; results pending. ICHGCP