Stories don’t just live in books — they live in our bodies.

​

Moving Stories© is a way of helping children step into the rhythm, shape, and emotion of a story through movement. When children move a story, they don’t just hear it — they feel it, embody it, and remember it!

 

Why Movement Matters

Research in dance/movement therapy and developmental science tells us that movement and cognition are inseparable. Frameworks like:

• LBMA (Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis): A framework for understanding how people move — Body, Effort, Shape, and Space.

• BESS: The four main categories of LBMA, describing what the body does, how it moves, what shapes it makes, and where it moves.

• KMP (Kestenberg Movement Profile): A tool showing how developmental movement rhythms connect to emotional and cognitive growth.
   

Together, these frameworks remind us that missing or skipping certain developmental stages can impact how children process learning and emotions. Movement offers a way to revisit those building blocks, giving children new chances to grow.

 

What Moving Stories Does

• Developmentally Grounded: Movement builds sequencing, spatial awareness, cause-and-effect thinking, and emotional regulation.

• Inclusive & Reparative: For children with developmental delays, special needs, or trauma, movement through stories provides a safe, playful way to reconnect with missed milestones.

• Literacy + Movement Connection: Story structures mirror movement phrasing (beginning, middle, end). Acting out roles, sequencing, and emotions deepens comprehension.

 

Our Background

Karly Lystad and I are certified teachers and evaluators with Rhythm Works Integrative Dance and the Intellidance® Method. Both programs focus on the body–mind connection, child development, and inclusive learning. Combining our training in dance/movement therapy and Early Childhood Education we design experiences that are joyful, developmentally appropriate, and welcoming to children of all abilities.