ABSTRACT
It is known that making use of leisure activity has importance in terms of growth of adolescents through physical activity. It is thought that Latin Dances, as a leisure activity, provide many acquisitions such as increase in self-confidence, mental relaxation and discovering one’s self. In this study, we aim to analyze the experience, perception and meanings attributed to Latin Dances by the participants of a private dance school.
The study is designed with Phenomenology, one of the qualitative research patterns. In this scope, the data was obtained by using semi-structured interview and metaphorical questions. Six participants who have signed the voluntary consent form were interviewed.
As a result of data analysis, three main themes were obtained: aesthetic, psychological and social acquisitions. When the metaphorical views of the participants towards Latin Dances were analyzed, “high-heels, spirit, love, monkey and rainbow” metaphors were revealed.
Among the social, psychological and physical effects of dance in literature, results such as socialization, forming an identity of a dancer, relaxation and hedonistic factors can be found. In the light of these data, as a result of the study, it is found that dancing provides the acquisitions in terms of social, psychological and physical dimensions in accordance with the views of the participants. It can be said that dance has effects such as socialization, defining one’s self, self-confidence and communicating.
