Dance therapy
Encyclopedia
Dance therapy, or dance movement therapy is the psychotherapeutic
use of movement and dance
for emotional, cognitive, social
, behavioral and physical
conditions. As a form of expressive therapy
, DMT is founded on the basis that movement and emotion are directly related. The ultimate purpose of DMT is to find a healthy balance and sense of wholeness.
Since its birth in the 1940s, DMT has gained much popularity and has been taken to more serious and beneficial levels. Over the years, the practices of DMT 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 DMT sessions are configured around four main stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and evaluation. Organizations such as the American Dance Therapy Association
and the Association for Dance Movement Therapy, United Kingdom maintain the high standards of profession and education throughout the field. DMT is practiced in places such as mental health rehabilitation centers, 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 centering the body. Specialized treatments of DMT can help cure and aid many types of diseases and disabilities. Other common names for DMT include: movement psychotherapy and dance therapy.
(1940’s), 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
. Although there were significant American
influences, the main theories of dance therapy originated in the UK
.
and therefore inspiring the first wave of DMT. 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 dance
r, choreographer
, and performer. After opening her own dance school in Washington, D.C.
, Chace began to realize the effects 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 realized 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 organization which she and several other DMT pioneers founded.
and 80s
that the second wave of DMT 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, DMT was then categorized as a form of psychotherapy
. It was from this second wave that today’s DMT evolved.
“Dance movement therapy rests on certain theoretical principles. These are:
Through the unity of the body, mind, and spirit
, DMT provides a sense of wholeness to all individuals.
s. Although DMT is promoted to reduce stress and center the body, this therapy is very effective in helping to heal other disabilities
and disease
s. Examples of these include:
were created in order to uphold high standards in the field of DMT. Such organizations help connect individuals to therapists and DMT.
(ADTA) was founded in 1966 in order to uphold high standards throughout dance therapy. The ADTA
was created by Marian Chace, 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.
is the main regulator of the required education and training 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).
in New Hampshire, Columbia College Chicago
in Illinois, Drexel University
in Pennsylvania, Lesley University
in Massachusetts, Naropa University
in Colorado, and Pratt Institute
in New York http://www.adta.org/Default.aspx?pageId=378248.
Those with a master's or doctoral degree in a human services-related field may have the option to become an R-DMT via Alternate Route http://www.adta.org/Default.aspx?pageId=378249.
Pat Fehr 2006 B.A. Psychotherapeutic Activities
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
use of movement and dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
for emotional, cognitive, social
Social
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
, behavioral and physical
Body
With regard to living things, a body is the physical body of an individual. "Body" often is used in connection with appearance, health issues and death...
conditions. As a form of expressive therapy
Expressive therapy
Expressive therapy, also known as expressive arts therapy or creative arts therapy, is the use of the creative arts as a form of therapy. Unlike traditional art expression, the process of creation is emphasized rather than the final product...
, DMT is founded on the basis that movement and emotion are directly related. The ultimate purpose of DMT is to find a healthy balance and sense of wholeness.
Since its birth in the 1940s, DMT has gained much popularity and has been taken to more serious and beneficial levels. Over the years, the practices of DMT 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 DMT sessions are configured around four main stages: preparation, incubation, illumination, and evaluation. Organizations such as the American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
and the Association for Dance Movement Therapy, United Kingdom maintain the high standards of profession and education throughout the field. DMT is practiced in places such as mental health rehabilitation centers, 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 centering the body. Specialized treatments of DMT can help cure and aid many types of diseases and disabilities. Other common names for DMT include: movement psychotherapy and dance therapy.
History
Although dance has been a method of expression for centuries, it wasn’t until just recently that it was characterized as a form of therapy. The development of DMT can be split into two waves throughout history. Long before the first wave of DMT in AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1940’s), the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Although there were significant American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
influences, the main theories of dance therapy originated in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
First Wave
Marian Chace, “The Grand Dame” of dance therapy, is the woman responsible for introducing the idea of DMT to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and therefore inspiring the first wave of DMT. She is considered the principal founder of what is now dance therapy in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1942, through her work, dance was first introduced to western medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. Chace was originally a dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
r, choreographer
Choreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
, and performer. After opening her own dance school in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Chace began to realize the effects dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and movement had on her students. She was soon asked to work at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital
St. Elizabeths Hospital
St. Elizabeths Hospital is a psychiatric hospital operated by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health. It was the first large-scale, federally-run psychiatric hospital in the United States. Housing several thousand patients at its peak, St. Elizabeths had a fully functioning...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
once psychiatrists too realized 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
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
, an organization which she and several other DMT pioneers founded.
Second Wave
It wasn’t until the 1970s1970s
File:1970s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: US President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office after the Watergate scandal in 1974; Refugees aboard a US naval boat after the Fall of Saigon, leading to the end of the Vietnam War in 1975; The 1973 oil...
and 80s
1980s
File:1980s decade montage.png|thumb|400px|From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, Columbia, lifted off in 1981; American President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev eased tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the end of the Cold War; The Fall of the Berlin Wall in...
that the second wave of DMT came around and sparked much interest from American therapists. During this time, therapists began to experiment with the psychotherapeutic applications of dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
and movement. As a result of the therapists experiments, DMT was then categorized as a form of psychotherapy
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a general term referring to any form of therapeutic interaction or treatment contracted between a trained professional and a client or patient; family, couple or group...
. It was from this second wave that today’s DMT evolved.
Principles
The theory of DMT 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 unconsciousUnconscious mindThe unconscious mind is a term coined by the 18th century German romantic philosopher Friedrich Schelling and later introduced into English by the poet and essayist Samuel Taylor Coleridge...
process - Movement improvisationImprovisationImprovisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate environment and inner feelings. This can result in the invention of new thought patterns, new practices, new structures or symbols, and/or...
allows the client to experiment with new ways of being - DMT allows for the recapitulation of early object relationships by virtue of the largely non-verbal mediation of the latter”
- Movement contains a symbolic function and as such can be evidence of unconscious
Through the unity of the body, mind, and spirit
Spirit
The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, most of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body.The spirit of a living thing usually refers to or explains its consciousness.The notions of a person's "spirit" and "soul" often also overlap,...
, DMT provides a sense of wholeness to all individuals.
The Creative Process
The creative process has four stages, which occur during DMT. Each stage contains a smaller set of goals which correlate to the larger purpose of DMT. The stages and goals of DMT vary with each individual. Although the stages are progressive, the stages are usually revisited several times throughout the entire DMT 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
Specialized Treatments
DMT can be used to heal serious disorders and diseaseDisease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
s. Although DMT is promoted to reduce stress and center the body, this therapy is very effective in helping to heal other disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
and disease
Disease
A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
s. Examples of these include:
- AutismAutismAutism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
: therapists connect on a sensory-motor level, provides a sense of acceptance and expands skills and
- cognitive abilities, increases maturity
- Learning DisabilitiesLearning disabilityLearning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
: develops better organizational skills, learns/experiences control and choice, higher self
- confidence, new inspirations to learn
- Mental RetardationMental retardationMental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
: improves body image, social skills, coordination, and motor skills, promotes communication
- Deaf and Hearing ImpairedHearing impairment-Definition:Deafness is the inability for the ear to interpret certain or all frequencies of sound.-Environmental Situations:Deafness can be caused by environmental situations such as noise, trauma, or other ear defections...
: reduces feelings of isolation, provides inspiration for relationships
- BlindBlindnessBlindness is the condition of lacking visual perception due to physiological or neurological factors.Various scales have been developed to describe the extent of vision loss and define blindness...
and Visually ImpairedVisual impairmentVisual impairment is vision loss to such a degree as to qualify as an additional support need through a significant limitation of visual capability resulting from either disease, trauma, or congenital or degenerative conditions that cannot be corrected by conventional means, such as refractive...
: improves body image, motor skills, and personal awareness
- Physically Handicapped: improves motor skills and body image, provides a way to communicate and express emotions
- ElderlyOld ageOld age consists of ages nearing or surpassing the average life span of human beings, and thus the end of the human life cycle...
: provides social interaction, expression, and exercise, alleviates fears of loneliness and isolation
- Eating Disorders: alters distorted body images which helps end destructive behaviors, 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 BirthBirthBirth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
Preparation: implores relaxation techniques to reduce anxiety, learn breathing techniques and release
- energy, builds confidence to help cope with labor, birth and early parenting
Locations
DMT is practiced in a large variety of locations. Such locations include:- RehabilitationPhysical medicine and rehabilitationPhysical medicine and rehabilitation , physiatry or rehabilitation medicine, is a branch of medicine that aims to enhance and restore functional ability and quality of life to those with physical impairments or disabilities. A physician having completed training in this field is referred to as a...
centers - MedicalMedicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
settings - EducationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al settings - Forensic settings
- Nursing homes
- Day careDay careChild care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
facilities - diseaseDiseaseA disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism. It is often construed to be a medical condition associated with specific symptoms and signs. It may be caused by external factors, such as infectious disease, or it may be caused by internal dysfunctions, such as autoimmune...
prevention centers - HealthHealthHealth is the level of functional or metabolic efficiency of a living being. In humans, it is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain...
promotion programs
Organizations
Organizations such as the American Dance Therapy AssociationAmerican Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
were created in order to uphold high standards in the field of DMT. Such organizations help connect individuals to therapists and DMT.
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy AssociationAmerican Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
(ADTA) was founded in 1966 in order to uphold high standards throughout dance therapy. The ADTA
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
was created by Marian Chace, the first president of the ADTA
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
, and other pioneers in dance movement. Along with setting standards for which therapists must attain to become licensed therapists, ADTA
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
keeps an updated registry of all movement/dance therapists who have met ADTA’s
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
standards. In addition, ADTA
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
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 (ADMTUK) was one of the first organizations established to regulate the field of dance therapy. ADMTUK accredits therapists and oversees that all regulations are followed.Therapist Qualifications
ADTAAmerican Dance Therapy Association
American Dance Therapy Association was founded in 1966 to establish and maintain high standards of professional education in the field of dance/movement therapy.-History:...
is the main regulator of the required education and training 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).
Education
There are only 6 ADTA approved master's programs from which to earn Registered Dance/Movement Therapist (R-DMT) credentials: Antioch University New EnglandAntioch University New England
Antioch University New England is a private graduate school located in Keene, New Hampshire. It is part of the Antioch University system that includes campuses in Seattle, Washington; Los Angeles, California; Santa Barbara, California; and Yellow Springs, Ohio.- History :In 1964, Antioch College...
in New Hampshire, Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago
Columbia College Chicago is one of the largest art colleges in the United States with nearly 12,000 students pursuing degrees within 120 undergraduate and graduate programs...
in Illinois, Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
in Pennsylvania, Lesley University
Lesley University
Lesley University is a private, coeducational university in Boston, Massachusetts and Cambridge, Massachusetts.The university is a member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, National Association of Schools of Art and Design, and New England Collegiate Conference.-History:The...
in Massachusetts, Naropa University
Naropa University
Naropa University is a private American liberal arts university in Boulder, Colorado. Founded in 1974 by Tibetan Buddhist teacher and Oxford University scholar Chögyam Trungpa, it is named for the eleventh-century Indian Buddhist sage Naropa, an abbot of Nalanda.Naropa describes itself as...
in Colorado, and Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
in New York http://www.adta.org/Default.aspx?pageId=378248.
Those with a master's or doctoral degree in a human services-related field may have the option to become an R-DMT via Alternate Route http://www.adta.org/Default.aspx?pageId=378249.
Further reading
- Meekums, B. (2002). Dance Movement Therapy: a Creative Psychotherapeutic Approach. London: Sage
- Chodorow, J. (1991). Dance Therapy and Depth Psychology. London
- Lewis, P. (1984; 1986). Theoretical Approaches in Dance Movement Therapy. Vols I & II, USA: Kendall/Hunt.
- Payne, H. (ed). (2006). Dance Movement Therapy: Theory, Research and Practice (2nd edn). Tavistock / Routledge.
- Siegel, E. (1984). Dance Movement Therapy: Mirror of Ourselves: The Psychoanalytic Approach. New York: Human Science Press.
- Stanton-Jones, K. (1992). An Introduction to Dance Movement Therapy in Psychiatry. London: Tavistock/Routledge.
- North, M. (1990). Personality Assessment Through Movement. Northcote House.
- Payne, H.L. (2000). Creative Movement and Dance in Groupwork. Oxon: Speechmark
- McCormack, D. (2003) An event of geographical ethics in spaces of affect. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 28, (4), 488-507
Pat Fehr 2006 B.A. Psychotherapeutic Activities