{"id":{"repo_id":"u-iceland","oai_identifier":"oai:skemman.is:1946/51849"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/u-iceland/oai:skemman.is:1946/51849","repository":{"repo_id":"u-iceland","name":"University of Iceland","base_url":"https://skemman.is/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The Role of Transformational Leadership in Shaping Motivation and Commitment Among Adult Social Dance Students","abstract":"This thesis investigates how transformational leadership shapes motivation and commitment in adult dance students that practice social dancing. By researching transformational leadership in this field, this thesis offers practical advice for dance studios and dance teachers to increase student engagement and retention. While transformational leadership has been studied extensively in companies, academic settings, and sports, its application across dance remains under-researched, especially in the field of adult social dancing. In this study, fifteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with Brazilian Zouk dancers in Iceland, which revealed that dancers are motivated by five factors including artistic expression, new experiences, health benefits, social connection, and growth opportunities. The motivations of dance students were studied in the context of the Self Determination Theory by Deci & Ryan (1985), a framework for understanding human motivations through psychological needs. The study revealed that autonomy was more important for advanced dancers in comparison to beginners, competence increased over time with improvements becoming visible and being recognized by peers, and a sense of belonging was a significant factor in increasing dancers’ commitment and attachment to the community. The research also revealed how students started dancing due to extrinsic motivations such as peer pressure and eventually moved along a continuum, developing greater intrinsic motivation through enjoyment and connection. Eventually, dancing transformed the students’ identities as a dancer, with some developing self-leadership capabilities enabling them to contribute to the community. This study offers useful strategies for dance business owners as to how dance schools can improve their marketing, event planning, product offering, customer loyalty programs, and their overall operations to attract and retain students. It is recommended that dance studios highlight the community aspect and health benefits of dancing in their marketing messages, offer novelty through diverse events and class offerings, create programs to cater to the interests of both new and advanced students, and ensure the proper management of the dance environment and music. Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Motivation, Commitment, Social Dancing, Teacher, Self-Determination Theory","abstract_html":"This thesis investigates how transformational leadership shapes motivation and commitment in adult dance students that practice social dancing. By researching transformational leadership in this field, this thesis offers practical advice for dance studios and dance teachers to increase student engagement and retention. While transformational leadership has been studied extensively in companies, academic settings, and sports, its application across dance remains under-researched, especially in the field of adult social dancing. In this study, fifteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with Brazilian Zouk dancers in Iceland, which revealed that dancers are motivated by five factors including artistic expression, new experiences, health benefits, social connection, and growth opportunities. The motivations of dance students were studied in the context of the Self Determination Theory by Deci & Ryan (1985), a framework for understanding human motivations through psychological needs. The study revealed that autonomy was more important for advanced dancers in comparison to beginners, competence increased over time with improvements becoming visible and being recognized by peers, and a sense of belonging was a significant factor in increasing dancers’ commitment and attachment to the community. The research also revealed how students started dancing due to extrinsic motivations such as peer pressure and eventually moved along a continuum, developing greater intrinsic motivation through enjoyment and connection. Eventually, dancing transformed the students’ identities as a dancer, with some developing self-leadership capabilities enabling them to contribute to the community. This study offers useful strategies for dance business owners as to how dance schools can improve their marketing, event planning, product offering, customer loyalty programs, and their overall operations to attract and retain students. It is recommended that dance studios highlight the community aspect and health benefits of dancing in their marketing messages, offer novelty through diverse events and class offerings, create programs to cater to the interests of both new and advanced students, and ensure the proper management of the dance environment and music. Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Motivation, Commitment, Social Dancing, Teacher, Self-Determination Theory","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Celina Ventura Pablo 1997-"],"institution":null,"degree_name":null,"degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Háskóli Íslands"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-01-12T11:24:35Z","date_published":"2026-01-12T11:24:35Z","updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:40:48Z","subjects":["Alþjóðaviðskipti og verkefnastjórnun","Breytingastjórnun","Dansskólar"],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/1946/51849","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Háskóli Íslands"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Celina Ventura Pablo 1997-"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2026-01-12T11:24:31Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-01-12T11:24:31Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2026-01-12T11:24:35Z"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Alþjóðaviðskipti og verkefnastjórnun","Breytingastjórnun","Dansskólar"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/1946/51849"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis investigates how transformational leadership shapes motivation and commitment in adult dance students that practice social dancing. By researching transformational leadership in this field, this thesis offers practical advice for dance studios and dance teachers to increase student engagement and retention. While transformational leadership has been studied extensively in companies, academic settings, and sports, its application across dance remains under-researched, especially in the field of adult social dancing. In this study, fifteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with Brazilian Zouk dancers in Iceland, which revealed that dancers are motivated by five factors including artistic expression, new experiences, health benefits, social connection, and growth opportunities. The motivations of dance students were studied in the context of the Self Determination Theory by Deci & Ryan (1985), a framework for understanding human motivations through psychological needs. The study revealed that autonomy was more important for advanced dancers in comparison to beginners, competence increased over time with improvements becoming visible and being recognized by peers, and a sense of belonging was a significant factor in increasing dancers’ commitment and attachment to the community. The research also revealed how students started dancing due to extrinsic motivations such as peer pressure and eventually moved along a continuum, developing greater intrinsic motivation through enjoyment and connection. Eventually, dancing transformed the students’ identities as a dancer, with some developing self-leadership capabilities enabling them to contribute to the community. This study offers useful strategies for dance business owners as to how dance schools can improve their marketing, event planning, product offering, customer loyalty programs, and their overall operations to attract and retain students. It is recommended that dance studios highlight the community aspect and health benefits of dancing in their marketing messages, offer novelty through diverse events and class offerings, create programs to cater to the interests of both new and advanced students, and ensure the proper management of the dance environment and music. Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Motivation, Commitment, Social Dancing, Teacher, Self-Determination Theory"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Role of Transformational Leadership in Shaping Motivation and Commitment Among Adult Social Dance Students"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Háskóli Íslands"],"dc:creator":["Celina Ventura Pablo 1997-"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2026-01-12T11:24:31Z"],"dc:date.available":["2026-01-12T11:24:31Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2026-01-12T11:24:35Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis investigates how transformational leadership shapes motivation and commitment in adult dance students that practice social dancing. By researching transformational leadership in this field, this thesis offers practical advice for dance studios and dance teachers to increase student engagement and retention. While transformational leadership has been studied extensively in companies, academic settings, and sports, its application across dance remains under-researched, especially in the field of adult social dancing. In this study, fifteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with Brazilian Zouk dancers in Iceland, which revealed that dancers are motivated by five factors including artistic expression, new experiences, health benefits, social connection, and growth opportunities. The motivations of dance students were studied in the context of the Self Determination Theory by Deci & Ryan (1985), a framework for understanding human motivations through psychological needs. The study revealed that autonomy was more important for advanced dancers in comparison to beginners, competence increased over time with improvements becoming visible and being recognized by peers, and a sense of belonging was a significant factor in increasing dancers’ commitment and attachment to the community. The research also revealed how students started dancing due to extrinsic motivations such as peer pressure and eventually moved along a continuum, developing greater intrinsic motivation through enjoyment and connection. Eventually, dancing transformed the students’ identities as a dancer, with some developing self-leadership capabilities enabling them to contribute to the community. This study offers useful strategies for dance business owners as to how dance schools can improve their marketing, event planning, product offering, customer loyalty programs, and their overall operations to attract and retain students. It is recommended that dance studios highlight the community aspect and health benefits of dancing in their marketing messages, offer novelty through diverse events and class offerings, create programs to cater to the interests of both new and advanced students, and ensure the proper management of the dance environment and music. Keywords: Transformational Leadership, Motivation, Commitment, Social Dancing, Teacher, Self-Determination Theory"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/1946/51849"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:subject":["Alþjóðaviðskipti og verkefnastjórnun","Breytingastjórnun","Dansskólar"],"dc:title":["The Role of Transformational Leadership in Shaping Motivation and Commitment Among Adult Social Dance Students"],"dc:type":["Thesis"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T21:40:48Z"}