In this article, the author compares the practices, philosophy, and history of action research, also known as participatory action research, to the purposes and practices of dance education. The comparison yields connections in four categories, enhancing self-reflective teaching and curriculum design, taking responsibility for teaching outcomes, giving voice to dance students and teachers, and adding to the body of rigorous dance research. The author suggests that this form of practice-centered research in dance will improve and make transparent the teaching practices of dance educators. This opens the possibility for not only improved practices, but also the social responsibility of empowering the participants in dance education, including children. The author further discusses the need for using this established qualitative research framework in studying dance education to lend credibility and rigor to the field and its literature.