More Than Just Steps: Harmonious Passion, Self-Confidence, and Emotion-Related Feelings in Female Amateur Dancers

<b>Introduction:</b> The purpose of the present study was to investigate the interplay between harmonious passion, obsessive passion, self-confidence, emotional arousal control, worry, concentration disruption, and psychobiosocial experiences in female amateur dancers during their usual practice. <b>Methods:</b> A convenience sample of 160 Italian female amateur dancers aged 16 to 36 years (<i>M</i> = 20.63, SD = 4.93) participated in a cross-sectional study and completed a questionnaire assessing the variables of interest. Correlational, parallel mediation, and moderated mediation analyses were conducted to test hypotheses regarding direct and indirect effects of passion on psychobiosocial experiences. <b>Results:</b> Harmonious passion positively correlated with self-confidence, emotional arousal control, and psychobiosocial experiences, while obsessive passion was found to have weaker associations with these variables. Self-confidence mediated the relationship between harmonious passion and psychobiosocial experiences. Moderated mediation revealed that the positive effect of harmonious passion on psychobiosocial experiences was stronger when obsessive passion was low. <b>Conclusion:</b> Findings suggest that fostering harmonious passion and self-confidence enhances dancers' functional emotional experiences, particularly when obsessive passion is minimized. Practical implications include autonomy-supportive coaching and confidence-building strategies to promote performance satisfaction and well-being.