|
Dance therapy (also called
dance/movement therapy) is the use of choreographed or improvised movement as a
way of treating social, emotional, cognitive, and physical problems. Throughout
the ages, people of many cultures have used dance to express powerful emotions,
tell stories, treat illness, celebrate important events, and maintain communal
bonds. Dance therapy harnesses this power of movement in a therapeutic setting
and uses it to promote personal growth, health, and well-being.
Dance as therapy came into existence
as a marriage of sorts between modern dance and psychiatry. Its was pioneered by
Marian Chace (1896-1970), who studied dance in New York City before establishing
her own studio in Washington, DC, in the 1930s. Because Chase's dance classes
provided unique opportunities for self-expression, communication, and group
interaction, psychiatrists in Washington began sending patients to her.
By the mid-1940s Chase was giving
lectures and demonstrations, and other professional dancers soon followed her
lead, using dance to help people with an array of emotional, mental, and
physical problems. It was not until 1966, when the American Dance Therapy
Association (ADTA) was founded, that dance therapy gained professional
recognition. Today the ADTA has nearly 1,200 members in 46 states and 20
countries around the world.
Dance therapy is based on the premise
that the body and mind are interrelated. Dance therapists believe that mental
and emotional problems are often held in the body in the form of muscle tension
and constrained movement patterns. Conversely, they believe that the state of
the body can affect attitude and feelings, both positively and negatively.
Dance movements promote healing in a
number of ways. Moving as a group brings people out of isolation, creates
powerful social and emotional bonds, and generates the good feelings that come
from being with others. Moving rhythmically eases muscular rigidity, diminishes
anxiety, and increases energy. Moving spontaneously helps people learn to
recognize and trust their impulses, and to act on or contain them as they
choose. Moving creatively encourages self-expression and opens up new ways of
thinking and doing.
On a purely physical level, dance
therapy provides the benefits of exercise: improved health, well-being,
coordination, and muscle tone. On an emotional level, it helps people feel more
joyful and confident, and allows them to explore such issues as anger,
frustration, and loss that may be too difficult to explore verbally. On a mental
level, dance therapy seeks to enhance cognitive skills, motivation, and memory.
Dance therapists can also address
specific problems in specific ways. For example, to help a patient reduce
stress, a dance therapist would first identify how the person's body reacts to
stress, then explore specific movement techniques to increase circulation,
deepen breathing, and reduce muscle tension.
What You Can Expect
Your dance therapy experience will
depend on your ailment, whether you work with a dance therapist in private
practice or in the context of a treatment team, and whether you are the only
patient or part of a group. And naturally different dance therapists have
different styles. You need absolutely no previous dance training to benefit from
dance therapy.
Generally speaking, however, for the
initial consultation, you will meet with the dance therapist in a dance studio.
You should wear comfortable clothing for this and all subsequent sessions.
First, the therapist will talk with you about your needs and your reasons for
wanting treatment. Next, the therapist may ask you to walk around the studio in
order to analyze your body shape, posture, and movements: Is your body erect or
caved in? Do you reach out or hold yourself in? Do you move in a fluid or
restricted way? Finally, the dance therapist will discuss your treatment goals
with you, and the two of you might arrive at an agreement regarding the duration
and nature of the therapy. You should review your goals with the therapist
periodically to see if you are meeting them.
In your regular sessions, your dance
therapist will watch you dance, encourage you to express your feelings through
movement, and, at times, imitate your movements (this is called "empathic
mirroring") to establish rapport and make you feel accepted. The therapist may
also try to help you connect your thoughts, feelings, and memories to your
movements.
If you are part of a dance therapy
group, the dance therapist will typically assess how the group works
together--how you all interact and share emotional expression through
movement--and intervene or direct the action accordingly. For example, the
therapist might introduce the idea of leading and following to help draw a
member of the group out of isolation or self-preoccupation. The dance therapist
might also employ equipment such as beanbags, balls, and stretch cloths to
explore a theme, such as trust.
The number of sessions, both for
individual and group work, will vary. You might have to commit to at least six
months of treatment, depending on your ailment. The sessions are usually weekly,
although this can vary as well.
Health Benefits
Dance therapy has a broad range of
health benefits. It has been demonstrated to be clinically effective at
improving body image, self-esteem, attentiveness, and communication skills. It
can also reduce stress, fears and anxieties, as well as lessen feelings of
isolation, body tension, chronic pain, and depression. In addition it can
enhance the functioning of the body's circulatory and respiratory systems.
Dance therapy has also been shown to
benefit adolescent and adult psychiatric patients, the learning disabled, the
visually and hearing impaired, the mentally handicapped, and the elderly
(especially those in nursing homes).
Proponents of dance therapy claim that
it has also been used successfully to help people deal with brain injury, AIDS,
arthritis, amputation, stroke, cancer, and a number of other physical ailments.
How To Choose a Practitioner
Dance therapists work independently or
as part of a treatment team, which might include an M.D., psychiatrist,
psychologist, and/or other health-care provider. Whichever you prefer, your
primary-care physician might be able to provide a referral. In addition, the
American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) in Columbia, Maryland, maintains a
registry of dance therapists who meet specific educational and clinical practice
standards. These include:
1.
Dance Therapy Registered (DTR). This designation is granted by the
ADTA to entry-level dance therapists who have a master's degree and have
completed 700 hours of supervised clinical internship. DTR therapists are
qualified for employment as dance therapists, but cannot work in private
practice.
2. Academy of Dance
Therapists Registered (ADTR). This advanced designation is granted by the ADTA
to DTRs who have completed 3,640 hours of supervised clinical work in an agency,
institution, or special school, and have met various other requirements. ADTR
therapists are qualified to engage in private practice.
Cautions
1.
If you have a physical or psychological ailment, consult your
primary-care physician first. Your physician can refer you to a dance therapist
or supervise your care as part of a treatment team that includes a dance
therapist.
2. It is important to find a dance therapist with
whom you feel comfortable, since the dance therapy experience involves
spontaneity, trust, and the expression of sometimes difficult emotions.
|
