Dance Movement Therapy: Another Career Choice for Dancers
A dance movement therapist works with all types of people who are psychologically ill due to disability, alcoholism, chronic disease and mental or emotional problems. Time, dedication and empathy by the therapist enable the patient to regain an aliveness that has vanished as a result of the illness. By inviting the broken individual to "dance a while" without fear of judgment, the dance movement therapist is able to help heal a significant number of health disorders.
"I believe dance has the power to heal mentally and physically," said renowned dancer and choreographer Ted Shawn (1891-1972.) His words established a position for the value of movement as a psychosomatic method of healing. A contemporary dance movement therapist is a mental health professional who, because of a unique understanding of movement and its relationship to the mind, is able to communicate with patients on a developmental level. The job is taking what pieces remain of an individual and reassembling them into a whole person capable of functioning again on some level.
Among the fields of adjunct psychotherapies such as music, art, poetry and recreational therapy, dance movement therapy is the only procedure based completely on the use of movement as the means of intervention. Specialized training is required to serve as a dance movement therapist and is usually acquired in graduate study. A strong background in dance or social science enables the dance movement therapist to observe the non-verbal language of patients. It is often this unspoken language that is the key to healing. A dance movement therapist is trained to recognize the messages inherent in the patient's non-verbal movements and chooses a suitable therapy path based partly on those observations.
The foundation of the philosophy of a dance movement therapist is the belief that mind and body are intricately related and that neither can function properly if the other is broken or diseased. The dance movement therapist attempts to help patients regain unity of mind and body as well as healing the spirit. One goal for many patients is the healthy demonstration of emotions through expressive movement.
Besides a strong foundation in dance and the desire to help others, the dance movement therapist must also exhibit a healthy self-respect and positive self-image. Several years of training in any form of dance and some experience with social services, psychology, and counseling are necessary before beginning the specialized training of dance movement therapy. Perspective dance movement therapists must first understand their own body messages through dance, develop an understanding of interpersonal relationships and achieve a heightened sense of self-awareness through study and introspection.
A full-time dance movement therapist will most likely be working in a clinical or hospital setting located in a large city. Some schools also have part-time positions for dance and creative arts therapists to work with their autistic and learning disabled populations. Salaries range from $12,000-50,000 annually. Dance movement therapy is marginally successful in private clinics where the communities are open to alternative and therapeutic uses of the arts.
A dance movement therapist most usually has a master's degree from a program recognized by the American Dance Therapy Association (www.adta.org.) This website is an excellent source of information on the required training and available job openings in dance movement therapy.
Besides a strong desire to help people heal through the therapeutic application of movement, a dance movement therapist requires patience, energy and the ability to empathize with the problems of others. Communication skills are paramount beyond teaching the class as parents, administrators and the public will need their questions and concerns answered. A dance movement therapist must also be able to disconnect from the conditions of their patients to a certain extent to protect their own sensibilities. A strong personal support network should be in place for the practicing dance movement therapist to help them deal with difficult situations of their patients.
Besides interaction with patients and students, opportunities exist for advancement in administration, writing and research in dance movement therapy.
Resources
American Dance Therapy Association 2000 Century Plaza Suite 108 10632 Little Patuxent Parkway Columbia, Maryland 21044 www.adta.org
Society for the Arts in Healthcare 2437 15th Street NW Washington, DC 20009 www.thesah.org
National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations 8455 Colesville Road, Suite 1000 Silver Spring, Maryland 20910 www.nccata.org