Dance Therapy

She invited international educators of dance and music to teach at the school, and thus the guru-sishya relationship changed (Medhuri). Students learned different dances and pieces form different instructors, and although it was still a formal relationship, the relationship itself was given new meaning. The word guru stems from the Sanskrit words Gu- darkness and Hri- to take away (Prickett). The guru is one who dispels ignorance and darkness from the mind of the sishya, as well as imparting knowledge (Ananya). The guru was held to the highest standard in the eyes of the sishya.

Chace was a modern dancer in Washington, D.C. who began teaching dance after ending her career in 1930. She noticed that some of her students were much more interested in the emotions they expressed in dancing than in the mechanics and technique of dance, and so she began to encourage this form of self-expression. Word soon spread of the wonders that her class had on its students, and doctors became intrigued. They started sending their patients to Chace. Later, Chace became part of the staff of St. Elizabeth’s hospital.

To illuminate what a season could look like, here are some examples of different techniques that are commonly used in dance therapy. The “Chacian” method, developed based on the styles of Marian Chace, the woman who head started the dance therapy movement. This session would typically start with a simple warmup that will lead into an improvised movement experience where the therapist will pick up on different movements by the patients and use them as a tool to create synchrony and growth involving group rhythm. Another type of session may involve increasing awareness of the body in a more subtle way. By inviting the patients to contribute in a group conversation about different scenarios, the instructor can then base the movements off of the emotions of the individuals.

Amy Manley, writer of Dance Therapy for Depression, briefly explains how dance helps with depression. Manley stated how dance can help battle with depression by saying “Dance provides a way to express and communicate these emotions without words, and without fear of being judged or misunderstood” (web). Dance therapy help numerous of individuals with depression because dance therapy is normally a session with a group of people, which can help people meet others that understand what the other person is going through as well as facing depression by exercising. One exercise, dance that helps people workout and dance at the same time is Zumba. Zumba is for stretching the body and relaxing to mind by dancing with working out.

Ballet and the Mind In dance I often struggle with being brave and committing to the movement. I got to thinking about what if instead of getting down on myself I could use dance to better my mind. Being clear of mind and relieving my stresses is something that I have always used singing for, but if I can take dance,something that actually stresses me out,dance, and make it a stress reliever. I can help myself and hopefully others as well. In researching this topic I found that there have been a few studies that have explored dance and mental health.

Mrs. Asha, Shifali’s instructor, admires Shifali’s unique style of performance and wants to showcase Shifali’s talent. One day Asha receives an invitation from Dance Achievement Center, a famous organization that fosters youth dance talent. She shares the news with her students, and explains that it was an honor to receive the invitation. She was proud that her students were going to perform at the event. She also explained that she had chosen Shifali to perform a solo dance to display the school’s talent.

When we returned home home, she signed me up for classes at the local dance center. The expectations to become a prima ballerina would involve much hard work and concentration. I knew when I started it would take years of steady practice and commitment. Learning the history of ballet and the famous dancers made me intrigued. I wanted to be like them.

A. Working in the emergency room I encounter many patients who come in for psychiatric evaluation, wither it is due to suicidal thoughts or depression. Through the constant training that our hospital puts on, I have learned how to better deal with these types of patients who can be difficult at times. I have learned that something as simple as listening to a patient and just hearing them talk can help to de-escalate whatever situation that person may be in. I have also learned how to better assess these patients and help provide them with other resources that are needed, like depression related support groups or counseling.

I love that Abraimova teaches contemporary dance in her own style because it is rare that you find someone dancing this extreme while improvising at the same time. She has high expectations of her students because in the video I can tell as young as they are they are serious about learning and mastering Ambraimova’s choreography. It would be awesome for Ambraimova to come teach a contemporary dance class at a dance studio nearby in Chattanooga, Tennessee. So many dancers would be so excited to learn Ambraimova’s dance choreography because she teaches dance outside of the United States. Since dance originated from countries outside of the United States, the movements along with the dance technique are very strong and original.

She said later in her autobiography that her real education came on the nights when Isadora and her siblings would dance to her mother's music and learn about what they were interested in -- literature and music. 	Isadora was told as a child that she would have to learn to depend on herself to get what she needed in life. So as Isadora grew older, she began to understand her family's financial condition and was eager to help. She and her sister Elizabeth began baby-sitting to help the family. To keep their charges busy, they taught them how to dance.