The Correlation Between Emotional Culture and Pedagogical Culture in Dance Teacher Education

Abstract

The education of dance teachers involves a complex interaction between emotional culture
and pedagogical culture, which influences both the quality of professional preparation and
the effectiveness of educational practice. Currently, a gap exists between the development
of emotional competences and their integration into dance-specific pedagogical practices,
limiting the potential of professional training and artistic expression. Emotional culture
encompasses a normative system of beliefs, rules, and standards governing emotional
expression and regulation across social contexts. In contemporary society, emotions are
increasingly visible in the public sphere, and emotional culture is structured around a balance
between rational emotional regulation and the pursuit of individual authenticity. Reforms in
higher education, influenced by the Bologna Process and broader social transformations,
necessitate the development of socio-emotional competences among university teaching
staff, who are expected to demonstrate flexibility, affective balance, and adaptability in
response to new educational roles and social pressures. Nevertheless, the level of emotional
culture in the university environment is often limited, which negatively affects the quality
of communication, conflict management, and professional resilience. Although emotional
intelligence has been extensively examined by prominent scholars, its application in the
education of dance teachers, particularly in the Republic of Moldova, remains insufficiently
explored. The emotional culture of university teachers encompasses self-regulation,
empathy, affective resilience, and effective communication; it functions as an essential
indicator of the quality of choreographic education and social development. The cultivation
of these competences is indispensable for the modernization of education and the
professional success of teaching staff.