Dance research is a comprehensive academic discipline dedicated to the study of dance, encompassing its history, theory, anthropology, and ethnochoreology. A significant branch, dance science, applies scientific principles to dancers and their art, with core aims to enhance performance, minimize injuries, and improve overall health and well-being, similar to sports science. This field, though relatively new academically, has steadily grown since early observations in the 1967 CORD Dance Research Annual highlighted its emerging status.

Key developments include the formation of the Congress on Research in Dance (CORD) in 1965, and the later emergence of dance medicine in the 1970s and '80s from sports medicine. The International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) was established in 1990, growing to over 900 members across 35 countries by 2016, and plays a crucial role in publishing research and hosting annual conferences. Dance science uniquely extends beyond typical athletic concerns to also study creativity and somatic practices, reflecting the holistic nature of dance.