Dance therapy
Dance therapy, or dance movement therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance for emotional, cognitive, social, behavioral and physical conditions. Dance therapy strengthens the body/mind connection through body movements to improve both the mental and physical well-being of individuals. As a form of expressive therapy, dance therapy is founded on the basis that movement and emotion are directly related. The ultimate purpose of dance therapy is to find a healthy balance and sense of wholeness.
Since its birth in the 1940s, dance therapy has gained much popularity and has been taken to more serious and beneficial levels. Over the years, the practices of dance therapy have progressed, however, the main principles that founded this form of therapy have remained the same. Influenced by the “main principles” of this therapy, most dance therapy sessions are configured around four main stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and evaluation. In the US there are organisations such as the American Dance Therapy Association and the Association for Dance Movement Therapy, and the United Kingdom maintain high standards of profession and education throughout the field. Dance therapy is practiced in places such as mental health rehabilitation centres, medical and educational settings, nursing homes, day care facilities, and other health promotion programs. This form of therapy, which is taught in a wide array of locations goes farther than just centring the body, and specialised treatments of dance therapy can help cure and aid many types of diseases and disabilities. Other common names for dance therapy include: movement psychotherapy and DMT.
History of Dance therapy
Although dance has been a method of expression for centuries, it wasn’t until just recently that it was characterised as a form of therapy. The development of dance therapy can be split into two waves throughout history. Long before the first wave of dance therapy in America (1940s), the UK developed the idea of dance therapy. The first records of dance being used as a form of therapy date as far back as the nineteenth century in the UK and although there were significant American influences, the main theories of dance therapy originated in the UK.
First Wave of Dance Therapy
Marian Chace, “The Grand Dame” of dance therapy, is the woman responsible for introducing the idea of dance therapy to the United States and therefore inspiring the first wave of dance therapy. She is considered the principal founder of what is now dance therapy in the United States. In 1942, through her work, dance was first introduced to western medicine. Chace was originally a dancer, choreographer, and performer. After opening her own dance school in Washington, D.C., Chace began to realise the effects that dance and movement had on her students. She was soon asked to work at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. once psychiatrists too realised the benefits their patients were receiving from attending Chace’s dance classes. In 1966 Chace became the first president of the American Dance therapy Association, an Organisation that she and several other dance therapy pioneers founded.
Second Wave of Dance Therapy
It wasn’t until the 1970s and 80s that the second wave of dance therapy came around and sparked much interest from American therapists. During this time, therapists began to experiment with the psychotherapeutic applications of dance and movement. As a result of the therapists’ experiments, dance therapy was then categorised as a form of psychotherapy. It was from this second wave that today’s dance therapy evolved.
Principles of Dance Therapy
The theory of dance therapy is based upon the idea that “the body and mind are inseparable”.
“Dance movement therapy rests on certain theoretical principles. These are:
- Body and mind interact, so that a change in movement will affect total functioning
- Movement reflects personality
- The therapeutic relationship is mediated at least to some extent non-verbally, for example through the therapist mirroring the client’s movement
- Movement contains a symbolic function and as such can be evidence of unconscious process
- Movement improvisation allows the client to experiment with new ways of being
- Dance therapy allows for the recapitulation of early object relationships by virtue of the largely non-verbal mediation of the latter”
Through the unity of the body, mind, and spirit, dance therapy provides a sense of wholeness to all individuals
The Creative Process
The creative process has four stages, which occur during dance therapy. Each stage contains a smaller set of goals, which correlate to the larger purpose of dance therapy and the stages and goals of dance therapy vary with each individual. Although the stages are progressive, the stages are usually revisited several times throughout the entire dance therapy process. The four stages are:
- Preparation: the warm-up stage, safety is established
- Incubation: relaxed, let go of conscious control, movements become symbolic
- Illumination: meanings become apparent, can have positive and negative effects
- Evaluation: discuss significance of the process, prepare to end therapy
Specialised Treatments
Dance therapy can be used to heal serious disorders and diseases. Although dance therapy is promoted to reduce stress and centre the body, this therapy is very effective in helping to heal other disabilities and diseases. Examples of these include:
- Autism: therapists connect on a sensory-motor level, provides a sense of acceptance and expands skills and cognitive abilities, increases maturity
- Learning Disabilities: develops better organisational skills, learns/experiences control and choice, higher self confidence, new inspirations to learn
- Mental Retardation: improves body image, social skills, coordination, and motor skills, promotes communication
- Deaf and Hearing Impaired: reduces feelings of isolation, provides inspiration for relationships
- Blind and Visually Impaired: improves body image, motor skills, and personal awareness
- Physically Handicapped: improves motor skills and body image, provides a way to communicate and express emotions
- Elderly: provides social interaction, expression, and exercise, alleviates fears of loneliness and isolation
- Eating Disorders: alters distorted body images which helps end destructive behaviours, discovers symbolic meanings behind disorder/food
- PTSD: weaves together past and present through symbolism in a “safe place” to confront painful memories
- Parkinson's Disease: uses rhythm to help reduce body dysfunctions which improves motor abilities, balance, and use of limbs
- Holistic Birth Preparation: implores relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety, learn breathing techniques and release energy, builds confidence to help cope with labour, birth and early parenting
Locations
Dance therapy is practiced in a large variety of locations. Such locations include:
- Rehabilitation centres
- Medical settings
- Educational settings
- Forensic settings
- Nursing homes
- Day care facilities
- Disease prevention centres
- Health promotion programs
Dance Therapy Organisations
Organisations such as the American Dance therapy Association were created in order to uphold high standards in the field of dance therapy. Such Organisations help connect individuals to therapists and dance therapy.
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance therapy Association (ADTA) was founded in 1966 in order to uphold high standards throughout dance therapy. The ADTA was created by Marian Chace, who was the first president of the ADTA, and other pioneers in dance movement. Along with setting standards for which therapists must attain to become licensed therapists, ADTA keeps an updated registry of all movement/dance therapists who have met ADTA’s standards. In addition, ADTA also publishes the American Journal of Dance therapy and sponsors annual professional conferences.
Association for Dance Movement Therapy, United Kingdom
The Association for Dance Movement Therapy, United Kingdom (DMTUK) was one of the first Organisations established to regulate the field of dance therapy. DMTUK accredits therapists and oversees that all regulations are followed.
Therapist Qualifications
ADTA is the main regulator of the required education and training in the US in order to become a dance/movement therapist. Typically, a master's degree is required to become a dance/movement therapist. “Dance Therapist Registered” (DTR) is the title given to beginner-level dance therapists who have had a minimum 700 hours of clinical training. For those who have completed over 3,640 hours of clinical work, they hold the title “Academy of Dance Therapists” (ADTR)
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