Dance Movement Therapy Research Paper

In the modern world, people have come to realize that the arts are important because they serve as a creative outlet for many people. Dance serves as a creative outlet by tapping into the emotional and spiritual levels of a dancer; but, it does not solely enhance creativity, dance movement therapy also serves as a form of physical exercise. Most dancers believe that dance not only allows them to express themselves, boost their confidence, and improve their mindfulness; but also stay in shape and work through their pain. Dance movement therapy uses movement to connect the mind and body, allowing for improvement in physical, emotional, and mental awareness.

Dance movement therapy is utilized in a wide variety of therapeutic divisions. The different

Through learning the technique of dance people are exposed to the structure of dance. The techniques of dance teach the patient and the therapist what they are able and unable to do. It would seem that learning boundaries would make the patient feel insecure or discouraged but it actually teaches them more about themselves. Poor dancing does not represent a poor personality, it simply represents a specific person's own creative expression. Dance movement therapy classes are often led through imitation, which is when the patient replicates the movements of the therapist, this allows the patient to feel more confident in their movement and to understand the basics of dance. However, the most influential aspect of dance movement therapy on the mind is improvisation. Improvisation allows the patient to follow their own impulses and communicate their own feelings (Fladager). The structure established through the use of imitation allows the dancer to feel a connection to the movements which gives them the creativity to create their own movement in improvisation. Improvisation is the method of dance movement therapy the showcases the relationship between the body and mind because it takes the movements the patient has learned and allows them to create their own language ("Dance/Movement Therapy."). The structure learned through dance movement therapy also intensifies the distraction that dance causes to avoid the negative emotions of the mind. Movement is not only exercise but also a