Literature Review Of Dance / Movement Therapy ( DMT )

Outside of medicine, I spend my leisure time dancing and choreographing. My love for dance and music stems from my early childhood. I recall listening to Disney songs and “choreographing” dance moves – moves that appeared as uncoordinated, but exquisite loose wiggles. As a result of my parents’ high expectations and strict upbringing, dance was an important activity because it served as a safe haven away from the stress and pressure I felt as a child. Dancing was, and is still, my source of joy and amusement.

My whole life has been of dirty mirrors, old ballet shoes, and ripped tights. I was 5 years old and a beginner at a dance academy. I didn’t quite know what dance was when I got in, I thought it was just a place to spend time in and just enjoy the music they played. Over the years I learned that dance is way more than just a hobby or a place to go when you are bored. It is art, you are the one making art. Your feelings are the story to your dance, and your moves are the music. People will see your pain or happiness through these ways. Dance is not just a hobby, it’s an art, it’s something that you don’t actually have to throw music at when the steps and feelings you add are the music to your dance.

important foundation in understanding the broader scope of how dance can be seen as a

The many exercises and careful directions that Winton-Henry provides will make it easy to incorporate dance into practice for both individuals and groups (Winton-Henry, 2009). Whether a client is dealing with trauma, life purpose, breathing, or meditation, there are ways to blend movement with talk and facilitate healing. Winton-Henry also includes may internet resources and suggestions for further reading that will be helpful in practice.

I became a ballet student at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in 2014. Being a high school student here gave me the opportunity to expand my horizons and take in as much art as I possibly could. During my first fall at UNCSA, I attended the Emerging Choreographers performance and was privileged to see works created by fourth year contemporary majors. These stunning works showed me the possibilities that dance holds to truly convey powerful and meaning messages. One work in particular stood out to me. It was a piece that showcased five dancers all dressed in pedestrian clothing. At first it appeared to be a casual street scene but a the music progressed one girl began making incredible sharp movements as if she was possessed. She made tiny movements of her hands and feet all the while moving a great distance across the stage. The others started going off what she was doing and all moved together as one giant body supporting the girl in the middle. She continued dancing in the most amazing way have many small movements combined with huge movements that made her seem a thousand feet tall. Intrigued I spoke to one of the dancers about the intention of the dance. She told me that the

CAMS are divided into five different categories: biological, manipulative-body, mind-body, energy, and alternative medicine. For example, dance therapy would fall under the manipulative-body based interventions, while mind-body interventions encompass alternatives like poetry, art, or music, and yoga would be an example of mind-body interventions and manipulative-body. Participants in music therapy have reported improved quality of life, and yoga therapy has been shown to lead individuals towards motivation to health improvement. As well, dance therapy has been proven to improve body image, coordination, body awareness, depression, anxiety, and stress relief; as well, sexual abuse survivors have used dance therapy to reconnect with their body by coping and processing, as well as give them a sense of freedom from their trauma (Complementary and Integrative, n.d.).

Wiener, D. (2003). Action therapy with families and groups: Using creative arts improvisation in clinical practice. Washington, D.C: American Psychological

As men in DMT we experience too often being the only man in class, therapy group, or workshop. This occurs across cultures. In this workshop we will use the combination of Transactional Analysis and DMT to examine the cognitive and physical patterns associated with beliefs about what it means to “dance” and how this effects both men’s and women’s choice as to what type of therapy suits them both as client and professional. We will use lecture, discussion, and movement to analyze the meaning of the old and to integrate new patterns of meaning for what it is to dance.

A dance/movement therapist and an energetic healer come together to present on utilizing the 7 Centered-Energy Chakra System within DMT. Participants will learn about each of the 7 Chakras and their connection to bodily and emotional functioning, as well as how the theory and purpose of this system aligns with that of dance/movement therapy. Theory will be put into practice as participants actively explore ways to synthesize these modalities through guided meditation and DMT techniques. Guided experientials will teach ways to work towards energetic, physical and emotional balance. Ways to apply this work in professional contexts will also be discussed.

This paper explores my main question, “how does movement through dance affect the mental and emotional dimensions of wellness?” I will explore the many unknown benefits that come from dance as well as share expressions of my personal thoughts on the subject. I will also share my personal experiences as well as others’ experiences with dance. In the research portion of my paper, I will cite studies supporting both the mental and emotional benefits of dance. This paper will also explore the perspective of a professor of dance, as well as the lived experiences of actual dance students. My interview will support my paper as it reinforces the findings in literature. I will discuss my future plans on the subject of mental and emotional dance; stressing the need for individuals to dance as the benefits can be

Teaching with the brain in mind, 2nd Edition. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/104013/chapters/Movement-and-Learning.aspx. Montessori, M., & Carter, B. B. (1936). The secret of childhood. London: Longmans, Green and Co. Skoning, S. (2008) Movement and dance in the inclusive classroom.

Couples dance/movement therapy separates attuned relating where there is a power differential like child/caregiver from relating where there is an even playing field as is ideal in romantic relationships. The palm-to-palm exercises help each individual strengthen self-regulation sufficiently to tolerate the limited ways that couples can healthily support one another. This in no way minimalizes the rich connection that is possible in romantic relating but helps couples open to what is healthily available by accepting and grieving what is

Scope: Dance Research Journal, Vol. 39, No. 1, (2007), pp. 3-24 Published by Congress on Research in Dance

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the health benefits of dance interventions on the aging population, particularly those with Parkinson disease (PD). Studies have suggested the various motor benefits of dance interventions in people with PD. This research was conducted primarily to find the results of dance interventions in older adults and in PD. Also, to describe limitations of dance within these populations, and to identify the direction for further future studies. With there being approximately 1.5 million Americans with PD, it is shown exercise improves motor impairments in aging populations, especially vital in people with PD due to the emerging studies supporting potential neurologic/neuroplasticity effects. The goal of this study

She developed a process called "movement in-depth," an extension of her understanding of dance, movement, and depth psychology. She helped found the contemporary movement practice called "authentic movement." In this type of movement, founded on the principles of Jungian analysis, patients dance out their feelings about an internal image, often one that can help them understand their past or their current life struggles. One of Whitehead's students, Janet Alder furthered Whitehead's work in authentic movement by establishing the Mary Starks Whitehouse Institute in 1981.