A qualitative study of university students’ perspectives on using dance to address social anxiety and body esteem

Rising rates of social anxiety (SA) and body esteem (BE) concerns among university students highlight the need for innovative interventions that resonate with their lived experiences. This qualitative study addresses this gap by exploring how dance (a creative and embodied practice) can offer meaningful support in navigating these psychological challenges. Twenty students, representing a range of SA and BE levels and varying prior dance experience, participated in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis and interpreted through Self-Determination Theory and Achievement Goal Theory. Three themes were developed: (1) cultivating a supportive, inclusive, and psychologically safe dance community, (2) perceived emotional and bodily empowerment through dance, and (3) barriers and facilitators to engagement in dance-based interventions. Findings highlight the importance of skilled facilitators in creating empowering environments that satisfy students’ basic psychological needs and promote mental well-being. In such contexts, dance participation may reduce social anxiety and improve body esteem; conversely, disempowering environments may frustrate psychological needs and exacerbate these concerns. Participants without prior dance experience reported unique barriers to engagement, suggesting the need for tailored strategies to support participation and maximise the benefits of dance-based interventions. Overall, this study advances understanding of the psychological mechanisms through which dance participation may influence SA and BE and offers practical guidance for designing student-centred, psychologically informed dance interventions in higher education – where the need for innovative mental health support is more pressing than ever.