Differences Between Dance And Movement Based Treatment

By Joshua Reed


When it comes to music, a number of people love to dance. Whether dancing at a club to a live band, at a disco, or community event, dancing can be fun. Whereas, when it comes to movement based treatment, the ultimate goal is a sense of healing emotional or physical issues or wounds.

Therapists working in dance therapy often use a four stage approach when providing treatment. These stages include, preparation, illumination, evaluation and incubation. First the therapist evaluates the mover, creates a treatment plan, illuminates the issues then institutes the plan for a specific incubation period.

Unlike free-form, non-alcohol, barefoot dance works to awake body, mind and soul in a community setting. Whereas, dance oriented therapies are provided in a clinical setting. Still, free-form dance is great exercise which can also help to alleviate stress among those in attendance. Depending on the spiritual beliefs of each mover, some may find a closer connection to self, others, spirit.

While this type therapy has only been recognized in the United States and Europe since the 1930s, with more development in the 1950s, it is nothing new. Dance and movement therapies have actually been used in the Near East, Greek and Roman civilizations for thousands of years. In fact, it was not until the 1950s when a choreographer, dance teacher and therapist noticed the positive effects movement had on a number of students that dance became an acceptable form of treatment.

Before being established as a valid form of psychotherapy, dance had always been seen primarily as an expressive form of art. Then, after more of these therapies were established in the 1950s, a number of professionals begin working in the field now known as dance therapy. While there are now programs focused on this type therapy, originally these therapies were provided by general psychologists and psychotherapists around the world.

Dance therapy can be divided into two waves with the first beginning in 1942. During this time, the focus remained primarily on the clinical and medical aspects of dance. As a result, a well known therapist began seeing clients on a regular basis at a local hospital. While most often successful, there were also times when a client needed different and unique therapies beyond the standard four stage approach.

After students began to report seeing positive changes to overall health and happiness, doctors began sending clients to receive treatment. After several success stories from these individuals and others, these alternative therapeutic forms became more accepted as valid forms of treatment for emotional and physical aspects of clients.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the second wave of dance appeared on the scene with a new and different ideology. It was at this time that therapists began to experiment and explore new and exciting applications. After which, therapists around the world began to create and apply different modalities and techniques of dance therapy based solely on the need of clients.




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