Dance Movement Therapy

What is Dance Movement Therapy?

Dance Movement Therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance through which a person can engage creatively in a process to further their emotional, cognitive, physical and social integration. It is founded on the principle that movement reflects an individual’s patterns of thinking and feeling.
(www.admt.org.uk)

Dance Movement Therapy is one of the Creative Arts Therapies. It enables and encourages communication and expression using dance and movement. It is a symbolic process that fosters relationships, supports people to work through difficulties and to identify creative ways of developing strengths and adapting to living in the world. The process draws on the elements of dance and movement and incorporates rhythm, ritual, posture, gesture, sound, use of space, movement qualities and patterns.

This innovative approach to psychotherapy aligns with current developments in the field of neuroscience and has been addressing the current recognition and interest in the importance of movement for human development and health for decades. Neurologically, movement evokes sensation, emotion, memory, thoughts, and images. As infants, we learn by exploring through movement and embodiment of our interactions. When we become reacquainted with our potential for creativity in movement, the integrative effect on all aspects of our person can become comforting and familiar.

It is not about teaching dance technique.
Clients do not require dance skills or training to participate.
The focus is on the therapeutic process.

“Dance Movement Therapy respects the lived body as an active source of knowledge production.” Meekums (1992)