Dance as we all know goes beyond technicalities and is all about fun, excitement and enjoying the art. It’s just about how simple steps are put together if one really has to analyse the building blocks of a dance piece. However, dance has its own silent side to it, which can be discovered if one were to delve into expressions and movements. Understanding this side is possible only when you realise the counts and are aware that the choreography is a part of the body movement and the mind is all relaxed and calm. This process of realisation is what I call dance therapy. A lot has been said and written about it, but all I feel is that if you attain a state of mind where you feel calm and free, then dance does soothe you.
Marian Chace, a modern dancer is said to be the mother of dance therapy who began her practice in the 1940s. In her classes, she noticed that some of her students were more interested in expressing emotions and not so much of the mechanics of the dance moves. She began encouraging them by emphasising more freedom of movement rather than technique.
Dance therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses movement to further the social, cognitive, emotional, and physical development of the individual. It works with people who have different kinds of emotional problems, intellectual deficits, and life-threatening illnesses. Abroad, they are employed in psychiatric hospitals, day care centres, mental health centres, prisons, special schools, and many of them also run their private practice too. They work with people of all ages in both group and individual therapy. Dance therapists try to help people develop communication skills, a positive self-image, and emotional stability through dance.
Benefits
Dance therapy can be helpful to a wide range of people, from psychiatric patients to those with cancer to lonely elderly people. It is easier for a person to express feelings and traumatic emotions, when words cannot do the trick. It can also help people with physical deficits improve their self-esteem and learn balance and coordination. Many people who suffer from chronic illnesses, life-threatening diseases find dance therapy classes a great way to relax, get away from their pain and emotional difficulties for a while, and express feelings about taboo topics such as impending death.
This magical therapy can also benefit normal people who are not accomplished dancers, and may be good for those who are clumsy on the dance floor. The emphasis in dance therapy is on free movement, not restrictive steps, and expressing one’s true emotions. Children who cannot master difficult dances or can’t sit still for traditional psychotherapy often benefit from free flowing dance therapy. Even older people who cannot move well or are confined to wheelchairs can participate in dance therapy. All they need to do is move in some way to the rhythm of the music. Therapy sessions help people to provide a safe place to express emotions and along with group classes that help provide emotional support, enhanced communication skills, and appropriate physical boundaries.
With no side effects, dance therapy techniques help people deal with stressful emotions like anger, increases self-awareness and makes the body and mind relax, and helps them adjust emotionally.
Preparation
People who want to use dance therapy should find a qualified therapist. The person should begin dance therapy with an open mind and a willingness to participate so the student can benefit the most. This is one side of dance that can never be forced upon anyone, it must come from within.
Precautions
Study under a qualified dance therapist who has completed a graduation programme in dance therapy approved by the ADTA (American Dance Therapy Association) and is registered with the ADTA. He or she should not just be a dancer, but should also have an extensive training in psychology.
Training to be a dance therapist
Dance therapists should have experience in varied dance forms and a liberal arts background with cours-ework in psychology for their undergraduate degree. Professional dance therapy training takes place on the graduate level. A qualified therapist receives a degree from a school approved by the ADTA, or has a master’s degree in dance or psychology and has taken additional dance therapy credits. After graduation, dance therapists can register with ADTA, meaning that they are qualified to practice. So now is the time to step onto the dance floor, not just to have fun, but also to lift up, brighten and dazzle your life and most importantly your spirit and soul.