Brain Dance Methodology

The game is structured around the Brain Dance, developed by Anne Green Gilbert in 2000. This full body-brain exercise is based on developmental movement patterns that healthy humans naturally progress through in their first year of life. These movements integrate reflexes that are the foundation for healthy brain development.

The Eight Components

1. Breath ("Oneness")

• Activities: Deep breathing exercises - exhale through mouth gently, inhale through nose filling belly, diaphragm, and lungs
• Benefits: Increases oxygen flow to the brain, reduces stress, brings awareness to importance of breath for ease of movement
• Connected Reflex: Moro reflex - implicated in "first breath of life"; facilitates breathing; regulator for emotional development and control
• User Impact:
  • Maya: Uses these exercises to manage anxiety before exams
  • Jamie: Begins with these simpler movements to build confidence
  • Alex: Benefits from the calming effects to reduce sensory overwhelm
  • Dr. Taylor: Recommends as a foundation for all other movements

2. Tactile ("Sensing")

• Activities: Various touch patterns - squeeze, tap, slap, brush, scratch, pat body parts
• Benefits: Develops sensory integration, strengthens bonding, develops appropriate sense of touch, improves proprioception
• Connected Reflexes: Palmar reflex (grasps objects), Grasp reflex (holds on for protection)
• User Impact:
  • Alex: Addresses sensory processing needs and tactile sensitivities
  • Jamie: Develops improved body awareness and self-regulation
  • Maya: Builds mindful connection to physical sensations
  • Dr. Taylor: Uses as assessment tool for sensory integration progress

3. Core-Distal ("Twoness")

• Activities: Curl into core engaging muscles, then move from center out through extremities (like a starfish)
• Benefits: Strengthens relationship to self and others, develops awareness of core for correct alignment, creates full body extension
• Connected Reflexes: Moro extension (activate mode) and flexion (calm mode)
• User Impact:
  • Alex: Develops core strength for better posture and stability
  • Jamie: Builds awareness of personal space and boundaries
  • Maya: Strengthens core to support better focus when sitting
  • Dr. Taylor: Tracks core development as foundation for more complex movements

4. Head-Tail ("Lively Spine")

• Activities: Bend, twist, stretch spine in different directions; wiggle, undulate, circle head and hips
• Benefits: Increases spine flexibility, develops neck and shoulder strength, creates open path for central nervous system
• Connected Reflexes: Tonic Labyrinthine Reflex (balance), Spinal Galant (twisting)
• User Impact:
  • Maya: Discovers these exercises help improve focus before studying
  • Jamie: Develops better posture for classroom activities
  • Alex: Improves fluidity of movement for everyday activities
  • Dr. Taylor: Notes connection between spinal movement and attention span

5. Upper-Lower ("Grounding")

• Activities: Ground lower body while moving upper body, then stabilize upper body while moving lower body
• Benefits: Articulates body halves for mobility/stability, develops emotional stability through connection to earth
• Connected Reflexes: Landau (increases muscle tone in head/neck), Plantar (prepares feet/legs for walking), STNR (strengthens back)
• User Impact:
  • Alex: Improves coordination between body halves
  • Maya: Develops physical grounding techniques for anxiety
  • Jamie: Builds skills needed for sports and playground activities
  • Dr. Taylor: Observes significant improvements in clients' motor planning

6. Body-Side ("Choices")

• Activities: Move one side of body while keeping other side stable, alternate sides
• Benefits: Strengthens and balances both sides of body and brain hemispheres, develops horizontal eye-tracking
• Connected Reflex: Asymmetrical Tonic Neck Reflex (coordinates body-side movements)
• User Impact:
  • Jamie: Supports academic readiness by preventing letter reversals
  • Alex: Helps develop balanced strength and coordination
  • Maya: Improves ability to concentrate on reading and studying
  • Dr. Taylor: Uses to address academic performance issues

7. Cross-Lateral ("Complexity")

• Activities: Cross-body movements like touching opposite knee to elbow, cross-lateral marching/skipping
• Benefits: Integrates brain hemispheres, strengthens vertical eye-tracking, develops complex thinking
• Connected Reflex: Integration of earlier reflexes enables cross-lateral movement
• User Impact:
  • Alex: Addresses coordination challenges through integrated brain activity
  • Jamie: Supports cognitive development and academic skills
  • Maya: Helps with complex thinking needed for college coursework
  • Dr. Taylor: Uses as advanced therapeutic exercise for progressing clients
• Vertical Slice Focus: This component is the primary focus for the initial game development

8. Vestibular ("Balance")

• Activities: Movements that take you off balance - spinning, tipping, swaying, rocking
• Benefits: Develops spatial awareness, balance, and coordination; strengthens sensory control systems
• Connected Reflexes: Moro and TLR - develops balance, eye tracking, and proprioception
• User Impact:
  • Maya: Discovers these specific exercises help manage anxiety
  • Jamie: Develops sensory integration and spatial awareness
  • Alex: Improves equilibrium and reduces physical awkwardness
  • Dr. Taylor: Uses carefully with clients who have vestibular sensitivities

Neurological and Developmental Benefits

Current brain research has shown that Brain Dance exercises:

• Cognitive Benefits:

  • Improve cognition and delay mental decline
  • Increase protein in brain cells
  • Develop complex, three-dimensional thinking
  • Improve eye-tracking (horizontal, vertical, and binocular)
  • Support academic readiness (reading, writing, math skills)

• Physical Benefits:

  • Maintain joint flexibility through synovial fluid release
  • Develop core strength
  • Improve balance, coordination, and spatial awareness
  • Build healthy relationship between body halves
  • Support proper neurological development

• Emotional/Social Benefits:

  • Reduce depression by increasing serotonin and dopamine flow
  • Decrease anxiety and stress
  • Develop emotional stability
  • Increase attention and focus
  • Support positive relationship with personal space and boundaries

Integration of Labanotation

The game incorporates Labanotation (created by Rudolf Laban) as a visual language throughout its interface. This notation system provides:

• Consistent symbolic representation of movements
• Support for visual learners who process information differently
• Connection to established dance notation practices
• Visual cues that reinforce movement-based concepts

Key Labanotation symbols used include:

• Movement Actions (any action, stillness, rotation)
• Movement Qualities (flexion, extension, jump, balance)
• Directional Indicators (forward, away, up/high, down/low, middle/horizontal)
• Timing Elements (rhythm, duration)

These symbols are particularly beneficial for Jamie's visual learning style and provide consistent visual anchors for all users.