Understanding Neurodiversity
Seeing difference clearly, teaching with insight.
Neurodiversity is the understanding that human brains develop and function in many different ways. In dance education, this means recognising that dancers may process movement, language, sensation, emotion, timing, and social interaction differently, not incorrectly.
Understanding neurodiversity allows teachers to move away from behaviour-based assumptions and towards informed, compassionate teaching that supports learning, confidence, and wellbeing.
On This Page...
Why Understanding Neurodiversity Matters in Dance
How the cognitive, sensory, and emotional demands of dance training interact with neurodivergent ways of processing and learning.
A Strengths-Based Perspective
The distinctive creative, musical, and perceptual strengths many neurodivergent dancers bring, and how teaching can nurture them.
Language, Identity & Neurodiversity
How respectful, identity-affirming language supports dignity, safety, and belonging in dance spaces.
What This Section Is, and Is Not
Clear guidance on the purpose of this section, understanding and inclusive practice, not diagnosis or labelling.
How to Use This Section
Ways teachers can use the following pages to deepen knowledge, reflect on practice, and support dancers more confidently.
Why Understanding Comes First
Why inclusive strategies are most effective when grounded in genuine understanding of neurodivergent experience.
Small shifts create patterns
Patterns create paths
Paths lead to understanding
Why Understanding Neurodiversity Matters in Dance
Dance classes place unique demands on the brain and nervous system. They require dancers to:
-
Listen and move at the same time
-
Process language, rhythm, and spatial information simultaneously
-
Manage sensory input such as sound, touch, mirrors, and proximity of others
-
Respond to feedback and notes in real time
-
Regulate emotions whilst being observed by others
For neurodivergent dancers, these demands can collide, not because of a lack of ability, but because the learning environment does not always match how their brain best works.
Understanding neurodiversity helps teachers recognise what is really happening beneath the surface.
A Strengths-Based Perspective
Neurodivergence is not a deficit.
Many neurodivergent dancers bring exceptional strengths, including:
-
Creativity and originality
-
Musical sensitivity
-
Pattern recognition
-
Deep focus on areas of interest
-
Expressive individuality
-
Strong kinesthetic awareness
A strengths-based approach allows teachers to nurture these qualities, whilst supporting areas that require different teaching pathways.
Language, Identity & Neurodiversity
The language we use shapes how dancers understand themselves, how they feel in class, and how safe they feel to participate without masking or shame.
A neurodiversity-affirming approach recognises neurological differences as natural variations in how human brains work, rather than deficits to be fixed. This includes being thoughtful about how we talk about neurodivergent dancers and how we talk to them.
Identity-First and Person-First Language
Different people prefer different language.
-
Identity-first language (e.g. “autistic dancer”) is preferred by many autistic people in particular, who see autism as an integral part of who they are, rather than something separate from their identity.
-
Person-first language (e.g. “dancer with dyscalculia”) maybe preferred by other neurotypes, who feel it places emphasis on the person before the label.
There is no single correct choice. The most respectful approach is to follow individual preference wherever possible.
What Identity-Affirming Language Looks Like in Practice
In dance teaching, identity-affirming language often means:
-
Avoiding deficit or medical based terms such as “disorder,” “dysfunction,” or “lacking ability”
-
Focusing on strengths, individuality, and support needs rather than problems
-
Describing differences as variations in processing, communication, or regulation, not failures or misbehaviour
-
Respecting how dancers and their families choose to describe themselves
-
Separating a dancer’s worth or effort from their challenges
This approach does not ignore difficulty or support needs, it frames them with dignity, accuracy, and respect.
Why This Matters in Dance Spaces
Dance environments can be highly evaluative, correction-heavy, and comparison-driven. The language teachers use can either:
-
Reinforce shame, pressure, or masking
-
Or create safety, confidence, and a sense of belonging
Using affirming language helps dancers feel:
-
Understood rather than judged
-
Supported rather than “fixed”
-
Free to learn without fear of being labelled or diminished
Over time, this contributes to healthier self-esteem, stronger engagement, and more sustainable participation in dance.
What This Section Is, and Is Not
This section is:
-
An introduction to common neurodivergent profiles seen in dance settings
-
Written specifically for dance teachers
-
Focused on understanding, not diagnosis
-
Grounded in neurodiversity-affirming practice
This section is not:
-
A clinical or medical guide
-
A checklist of behaviours
-
A set of labels to apply to dancers
-
A requirement to identify or disclose diagnoses
Teachers do not need to know why a dancer learns differently to teach more accessibly.
How to Use This Section
Each link below explores a different neurodivergent profile, with:
-
A clear overview
-
How it may show up in dance contexts
-
Common support needs
-
Strengths often seen in dancers
-
Considerations for inclusive teaching
You can use these pages to:
-
Build your own understanding
-
Reflect on your teaching practice
-
Support individual dancers more confidently
-
Inform studio policies and planning
Why Understanding Comes First
Inclusive strategies and lesson adaptations are most effective when they are grounded in understanding. When teachers understand why certain approaches help, they can respond with confidence rather than uncertainty, and create dance spaces where every dancer feels seen, supported, and capable.