Sarah Lawrence College

Precollege Programs

Creative Movement for Children

Academics Lifelong Learning
Summer Programs Pre-College Extension Signature Learning Community Au Pairs Precollege Student Life

Creative Movement and Dance Classes Westchester NY 

Children play and dance in a classroom with musical instruments and colorful decor. Two adults supervise the activity.

A supportive, imaginative approach to creative movement for kids ages 3–10.

Not every child wants a traditional dance class.

Some children love to move but do not enjoy learning set steps, preparing for recitals, or feeling pressure to perform. Others want a space where they can express ideas, build confidence, connect with other children, and develop a stronger awareness of their bodies.

Creative Movement for Children at Sarah Lawrence College offers creative movement dance classes in Westchester NY for children who want a different kind of experience.

Through imaginative games, music, storytelling, improvisation, and group activities, children explore movement in their own way. Instead of focusing on dance technique or getting the steps “right,” the program emphasizes creativity, self-expression, body awareness, cooperation, and enjoyment.

Classes support emotional expression, confidence, creativity, cooperation, and self-regulation. They are informed by principles of dance/movement therapy and taught by second-year students in Sarah Lawrence College’s graduate Dance/Movement Therapy program under faculty guidance. The program is educational enrichment, not psychotherapy or clinical treatment.

Creative Movement and Expression For ages 3–5

Young children experience the world through movement, imagination, music, and play. This creative movement preschool class offers an engaging approach to creative movement for preschoolers and an alternative to more formal dance instruction.

Children move to music, explore different ways of using their bodies, act out stories, experiment with rhythm and space, and participate in simple group activities. These creative music and movement activities for preschoolers are designed to encourage choice, imagination, and connection.

Activities may include:

  • Imaginative movement games
  • Music and movement classes for preschoolers, with rhythm activities
  • Movement inspired by animals, stories, shapes, and emotions
  • Opportunities for children to make choices and contribute ideas
  • Partner and small-group activities
  • Quiet movement and settling activities
  • Creative play using simple props and materials

Children are encouraged to move, imagine, express themselves, and connect with others in a supportive environment led by advanced graduate students in Sarah Lawrence College’s Dance/Movement Therapy program.

This creative movement class helps children build confidence, coordination, body awareness, and comfort participating in a group.

Class length: 60 minutes
Day/ Time:  Tuesdays 3:15 – 4:15pm
Session length: 12 weeks
Tuition: $395

Next Session: January 12 – March 30, 2027
Because enrollment is limited, advance registration is required.

REGISTER HERE

Location: Sarah Lawrence College, 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY
Class size: Up to 15 students/per class (9 or more students will have 2 instructors)

A minimum enrollment may be required for each class to run.

Registered families will receive information about parking, drop-off, check-in, and what to bring before the first class.

Movement, Creativity, and Connection For ages 6–10

This class gives elementary-age children a place to move, create, and connect without the performance pressure of a traditional dance program.

Children participate in guided movement activities, improvisation, collaborative games, and creative challenges. They may work individually, with partners, and as a group to explore ideas, tell stories, solve movement problems, and create short movement sequences.

Activities may include:

  • Creative movement and improvisation
  • Group games that encourage cooperation and communication
  • Movement inspired by music, stories, images, and ideas
  • Activities that build body awareness and spatial awareness
  • Opportunities to lead, make choices, and contribute creatively
  • Partner and ensemble movement
  • Reflection and calming movement activities

Through activities informed by dance/movement therapy, children can develop confidence, body awareness, imagination, and connection. The focus is on participation and expression rather than technical dance training or performance.

Class length: 90 minutes
Day/ Time:  Tuesdays 4:30 – 6:00pm
Session length: 12 weeks
Tuition: $595
Tuition includes all 12 classes and standard program materials.

Next Session: January 12 – March 30, 2027
Because enrollment is limited, advance registration is required.

REGISTER HERE

Location: Sarah Lawrence College, 1 Mead Way, Bronxville, NY

Class size: Up to 15 students/per class (9 or more students will have 2 instructors)

A minimum enrollment may be required for each class to run.

Registered families will receive information about parking, drop-off, check-in, and what to bring before the first class.

What Children May Gain From the Program

Creative movement for kids can support several areas of development at the same time.

Through movement and play, children may strengthen:

Creativity and Imagination
Children are encouraged to experiment, make choices, invent movements, and express their own ideas.

Confidence
There is no single “right” way to participate. Children can build confidence by contributing in ways that feel comfortable and authentic to them.

Body Awareness
Activities help children notice how their bodies move, how they use space, and how movement can communicate ideas.

Social Connection
Partner and group activities provide opportunities to practice cooperation, turn-taking, listening, boundaries, and shared decision-making.

Coordination and Physical Confidence
Movement games can support balance, rhythm, spatial awareness, motor planning, and coordination.

Emotional Expression
Children may use movement, imagery, and storytelling to explore different moods, ideas, and ways of expressing themselves.

How do these classes differ from a traditional dance class?

The program does not focus on ballet positions, memorizing choreography, perfecting technique, or preparing for a recital. Children explore and create movement while developing body awareness, confidence, and social connection in a noncompetitive setting.

Children are invited to:

  • Explore rather than imitate
  • Create rather than memorize
  • Participate rather than perform
  • Cooperate rather than compete
  • Move in ways that feel comfortable to them
  • Develop confidence without pressure to “get it right”

No previous dance experience is required.

Children do not need to think of themselves as dancers to enjoy these classes.

Informed by Dance/Movement Therapy

Dance/movement therapy is based on the understanding that movement can support communication, expression, connection, and well-being.

The graduate-level framework brings intention to the curriculum while keeping the experience playful, age-appropriate, and centered on the group.

Classes draw on selected principles from dance/movement therapy training, including attention to:

  • Individual movement styles
  • Nonverbal communication
  • Group connection
  • Cooperation
  • Confidence
  • Body awareness
  • Creativity and play
  • Emotional and social development

Families searching for creative movement therapy should note that these are educational and recreational classes informed by selected therapeutic principles - not therapy or individualized treatment.

The program is designed to be welcoming and flexible, but it is not a substitute for occupational therapy, psychotherapy, physical therapy, or other clinical services. Families with questions about fit or support needs are encouraged to contact the program before registering.

Who teaches the courses?

Second-year graduate students in Sarah Lawrence College’s Dance/Movement Therapy program teach the classes under faculty guidance.

This means that your child gets direct access to:

  • Specialized knowledge
  • Current professional training
  • Energy and creativity
  • Close attention to each child
  • Faculty-guided educational practice

Who may enjoy these classes?

The program may be a good fit for children who:

  • Love to move and use their imaginations
  • Enjoy music, stories, games, and creative play
  • Prefer a noncompetitive environment
  • Are curious about dance but do not want a traditional dance class
  • Feel uncomfortable with recitals or performance pressure
  • Feel intimidated by formal dance classes
  • Prefer imaginative play to choreography
  • Benefit from small-group activities and individualized attention
  • Benefit from flexible, child-centered instruction
  • Want to build confidence participating with other children
  • Have different movement, learning, sensory, or social styles

Class Environment

Classes will be held on the Sarah Lawrence College campus in Bronxville, New York.

Small groups allow instructors to get to know the children, adapt activities to the group, and create meaningful opportunities for participation.

The classes offer a more personal, exploratory atmosphere than a typical commercial studio.

Meet the Instructors

Classes are taught by second-year students in Sarah Lawrence College’s Master of Science in Dance/Movement Therapy program under faculty guidance.

Instructors bring advanced graduate-level study in movement observation, child development, group process, creative expression, and the relationship between movement and emotional experience.

Instructor biographies will be posted before the program begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. The program welcomes children with a wide range of movement experience, including those who have never taken a dance class.

  • It is a creative movement class rather than a technique-based dance class. Children move, improvise, play, and create without focusing primarily on formal dance steps.

  • No. These are educational enrichment classes informed by principles of dance/movement therapy. They are not psychotherapy, clinical treatment, or a substitute for professional care.

  • No. The emphasis is on each child’s experience during class, not preparation for a polished performance.

    Depending on the age group and class, the final session may include an informal sharing activity.

  • Comfortable clothing that allows easy movement is best. Dancewear and specialized dance shoes are not required.

  • Parents and caregivers will generally not remain in the classroom during the regular session. Specific arrival, dismissal, and observation policies will be shared before the program begins.

  • Children are not expected to participate in every activity in exactly the same way. Instructors will encourage engagement while allowing children some flexibility in how they enter the group and respond to activities.

  • The class is intended to welcome children with different learning, sensory, movement, and communication styles.

    Because this is a group enrichment program rather than individualized therapy, families should contact the program before registering to discuss accommodations, support needs, or concerns about the class environment.

  • Enrollment begins at age 3. Families searching for creative movement for toddlers, music and movement classes for toddlers, or toddler movement classes should contact the Office of Lifelong Learning if they are unsure whether their child meets the age requirement.

  • For families in Bronxville, Yonkers, and surrounding Westchester communities searching for movement classes near me, classes are held on the Sarah Lawrence College campus at 1 Mead Way in Bronxville, New York.

  • A limited number of reduced-tuition places may be available. Families may contact the Office of Lifelong Learning for additional information.

A Different Way for Children to Move

Children do not need to perform, compete, or master a technique to experience the benefits and joy of movement.

At Sarah Lawrence College, they can move, imagine, create, and connect in a setting that values curiosity, individuality, and expression.

REGISTER FOR CREATIVE MOVEMENT AND EXPRESSION (3-5S) 

REGISTER FOR MOVEMENT, CREATIVITY AND CONNECTION (6-10S)

For questions, contact:

Office of Lifelong Learning
Sarah Lawrence College
1 Mead Way
Bronxville, NY 10708
lifelonglearning@sarahlawrence.edu
914-395-2659

Apply (Undergraduate)
Apply (Graduate)

© Sarah Lawrence College. All rights reserved.