Dance Therapy Essay

Dance therapy is entrenched in the expressive nature of dance itself. Dance is the most indispensable of the arts. It provides an outlet in which one can express them in a way that words cannot. It rivets a direct expression and experience of oneself through the body. It is an intrinsic form of authentic communication, and it is an especially effective medium for therapy. Based on the belief that the mind, body and spirit are interconnected, dance therapy, also referred to as DT, is defined as "the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process that furthers the emotional, cognitive, social, and physical integration of the individual" (Dance Therapy). DT provides a creative escape for its patients, and its benefits can be seen in the mental

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. While there, Chace’s methods began to attract others, and by the 1950’s, DT became the subject of serious study at the facility (Dance

The dance the child creates is based on what he or she feels. The way he/she moves shows their personality and inner thoughts about how to deal with situations. DT provides a way for therapists to establish the crucial communication to learn the personality and feelings of their patients (B, Katie). Children also benefit tremendously by the emotional outlet DT offers. The main concept of DT is self-expression. Self-expression is defined “as giving vent to feelings that may be random or uncontrolled and reflects the way a person feels at the moment” (Bergmann, “Creative Dance” 162). DT gives a child a way to cope with situations. A child has to adapt to the space around him or her whilst dancing. They learn the skills to do this by adapting to the music being played, thus adapting their movement to connect with the music (B,