ANNALS OF “DUNAREA DE JOS” UNIVERSITY OF GALATI FASCICLE XV ISSN – 1454 – 9832 – 2018; ISSN-L 1454 - 9832 36 DEVELOPMENT OF COORDINATION CAPACITIES THROUGH DANCING AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.35219/efms.2018.2.08 Liliana Nanu ”Dunărea de Jos”, University of Galati, 4, Domnească Street, 800003, Romania Abstract ”Physical Education” is the subject that influences, during school, the harmonious physical development of children, endowing them with abilities, attitudes and knowledge that stimulate their social and creative approach with the social environment and allow them to continue their education(Cârstea, 1993;Cârstea, Tudor, Bota, Sasu, 1995). Dancing can be a set of pleasant and attractive means to make children develop harmoniously from the physical point of view, stimulating imagination, creativity and the need to express one's personality (Vișan, 1997; Năstase, 2011). Thus, any approach focused on the harmonious physical development of children, and particularly on the development of motor skills and qualities and especially on optimizing the coordination capacity is up-to-date and there is increased interest in this topic from the experts in the field. In order to achieve the proposed goals we used the following as research methods: the study of bibliographical specialty materials, the pedagogical observation, the test method, the experimental method, the statistical and mathematical methods and tabular and graphical representation. For the investigated group we selected and used dancing drills specific to the physical education classes of children from 3rd grade (9-10 years of age). The results obtained through the application of dancing drills meant to develop coordination capacities (the capacity to combine movements, the capacity to keep balance, spatial-temporal orientation capacity and the rhythmicity) of primary school children indicate that these skills can be successfully developed at the age of 9-10. After having used the selected acting systems, the final testing has demonstrated positive results in terms of the development of coordination capacity, the main conclusion being that dancing can meet the modern teaching requirements concerning the physical education of pupils, taking into account the particularities of the age and the level of their training. Keywords: dancing, coordination capacities, primary school 1. Introduction Among the main objectives stipulated in the curriculum for primary school developed by the Ministry of Education (Order of Minister of Education no. 4686/5.08.2003), in addition to maintaining the health of pupils, to increasing their capacity to adapt to various environmental factors, and have a harmonious physical development, there are also objectives related to the expansion of motor skills and qualities. The factors that condition the coordination capacities are determined by the level of development of other motor skills (velocity, strength and endurance), the volume and the complexity of motor skills, but also by the quality of analyzers, of neurotransmission and muscle innervation (Dragnea, Bota,1999; Tudor, 1999). The coordination capacities are of utmost importance in dancing because they have to be understood as training and binding capabilities for all motor acts (Vișan, 1997; Năstase, 2011). Objectives To design and apply, within the physical education class of children from primary school, acting systems through dance, on a musical background, using melodies that are accessible to young children aged 9-10, to educate