In recent decades, socioemotional learning in childhood has been the subject of growing study. Data collected through the implementation of programs in educational settings indicate that the ability to recognize and manage emotions is essential for promoting self-awareness and pro-social behavior. Socio-historical-cultural theorists argue that development occurs through the dialectic between the individual and their environment. Breaking away from the mind-body dualism, they highlight the concept of the whole person, presenting cognitive, social, emotional, and motor dimensions as inseparable and fundamental to educational processes. Educational dance, conceived by Rudolf Laban as a counterpoint to the rigidity of classical technique, is characterized by a dance teaching approach that fosters creative and expressive movement through improvisation. This allows for interaction with others and with the environment during bodily experiences. In this sense, the present study aimed to understand how educational dance can contribute to the development of socioemotional skills in childhood. The specific objectives were: (1) to investigate what children understand about emotions; (2) to identify possible contributions of educational dance to the promotion of self-awareness, self-regulation, and empathy; (3) to identify possible contributions of educational dance to the quality of peer relationships both in the dance room and in other environments beyond it. To achieve this, the research was conducted through an intervention and evaluation at the NGO Movimento Pró-Criança, involving children aged seven and eight, inspired by the socioemotional learning program Living the Emotions. This program develops socioemotional skills through educational dance. Regarding methodological procedures for data collection and analysis, the study used video recordings of free and guided play activities and a focus group with the children, both before and after the intervention. These recordings were analyzed using interaction analysis. Additionally, audio recordings of a focus group with staff members were analyzed using meaning analysis. The results suggest that, in the short term, educational dance contributes to the development of children's self-awareness, as evidenced by improved ability to recognize their own and others’ emotions, enhanced communication skills, and increased respect for different perspectives. Self-regulation was also observed, through reduced impulsivity and improved conflict resolution in constructive ways. Empathy was demonstrated by validating others’ emotions and exhibiting behaviors aimed at collective well-being. The study suggests that educators can foster socioemotional learning through educational dance by employing playful strategies that integrate movement, emotion, and reflection through bodily experiences and social interaction. However, the exploratory nature of the research, the absence of follow-up, and the small sample size limit the findings to short-term results.