D4EA - Dance for Eco-Anxiety

2026-07-22

D4EA - Dance for Eco-Anxiety responds to the rising prevalence of eco-anxiety among European youth by validating their emotions through non-verbal, creative expression. The project aims to empower cultural operators, educators, and institutions to co-develop, test, and disseminate an innovative D4EA Methodology that utilizes dance and movement to foster emotional resilience, civic agency, and climate awareness. Coordinated by Ijshaamanka (Italy) in partnership with Corps et Arts Dance District (France), Hurja Piruetti (Finland), and Interdansa (Spain), the project implementation follows a structured cross-sectoral approach. First, the consortium will engage in Capacity Building and Co-design (WP3), where dance educators and artists will attend transnational training sessions in France and Italy focused on somatic education, neurobiology, and inclusive dance to draft the shared methodology with input from psychologists and local stakeholders. Second, the partners will execute Local Piloting (WP4), testing the methodology through dance workshops and residencies in all four countries to validate its effectiveness with diverse youth populations in rural and urban contexts. Finally, the project will organize Final Restitutions (WP5), featuring public dance performances and transnational debates to stimulate intergenerational dialogue on climate change. The project addresses three main target groups: young people aged 13-29 (including those from marginalized backgrounds), dance educators and choreographers seeking tools to support student well-being, and mental health professionals looking for non-verbal therapeutic frameworks. The key expected results are the D4EA Handbook of Best Practices, a validated Methodology available for replication in schools and cultural centers, and a Final Video documenting the artistic and emotional journey of the participants. Ultimately, D4EA establishes a scalable European model connecting the arts, education, and health sectors to transform climate anxiety into collective resilience.

Italy, France, Finland, Spain

2026-02-01