The time has come to explore Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT)! While I am immensely proud to call myself a Dance/Movement Therapist and to celebrate the beauty of this modality, the field still has areas for growth. Let’s begin by laying the foundation for what Dance/Movement Therapy is, as defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA). According to the ADTA, DMT is “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, to improve health and well-being.”
Key Points About DMT
Movement Over Dance: While dance is in the name, DMT does not require participants to know how to dance. It’s about movement—allowing the body to move as it wants as part of the healing process.
Holistic Integration: DMT promotes healing across multiple domains, including mental, emotional, social, and physical. Often, the physical domain is overlooked in mental health discussions, even though the body remembers our experiences.
For further insights into the connection between the body and our experiences, emotions, and trauma, explore the works of Bessel van der Kolk, Peter Levine, Candace Pert, Pat Ogden, Antonio Damasio, and Daniel Siegel.
The History of DMT
DMT emerged as a profession in the West during the 1940s, spreading to other countries by the 1990s (Koch et al., 2019). Today, Dance/Movement Therapists work in diverse settings, including psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, and private practices. However, as we celebrate its growth, we must recognize that dance and movement have been integral to healing practices in cultures worldwide for centuries.
What Foundation is Missing?
Addressing Cultural Competency
Cultural competency and diversity remain crucial issues in counseling and psychology, including DMT. Chang (2016) noted a significant blind spot in how the field understands cultural rhythmic patterns, movement styles, and music choices in therapeutic processes. While progress has been made over the past decade, much work remains.
Colonial Influence in DMT
Spatz (2019) highlighted how the divisions in theatre, dance, and music—rooted in European historical development—continue to influence DMT. Though DMT is not professional dance, it inherits elements of dance’s professional legacy, including its colonial and Eurocentric roots.
From an African perspective, for example, dance serves as a tool for healing that integrates social, spiritual, physical, and mental domains (Monteiro & Wall, 2011). Healing also involves music, dance, and community engagement. This contrasts with the European conceptualization of dance as a structured form, often separate from music and theatre.
Culturally Relevant Practices
Dance/Movement Therapists must critically examine their practices:
Are they using culturally appropriate music and movement?
Are they viewing movement through culturally relevant lenses?
For instance, Laban Movement Analysis, a tool used to describe and analyze human movement, is often applied as a universal framework. However, it operates from a Eurocentric perspective (Davis et al., 2023). This highlights the need for decolonizing DMT practices and frameworks.
Moving Forward
Reflect and Explore
Take time to process what you’ve read. Reflect on your feelings, thoughts, and body sensations, and consider journaling your insights. Then, explore the origins of the modalities you use as a therapist, teacher, or caregiver. Understanding the roots of our practices can help decolonize our thinking and inform more inclusive approaches.
Practical Tips and Suggestions
Think Critically: Question the origins and validity of modalities and techniques. Have they been researched and tested with diverse populations, including Black and Brown communities, or only with White individuals?
Educate Yourself: Seek out training programs, such as those offered by CRESTSprogram, to deepen your understanding and commitment to culturally informed practices.
Ask Questions: Challenge assumptions about what works and why. Use evidence to guide your decisions and interventions.
Final Thoughts
Dance/Movement Therapy is a powerful modality that continues to evolve. As practitioners and learners, we must remain committed to growth, inclusivity, and decolonization. By doing so, we honor the diverse traditions and cultures that inform our work and ensure that the field remains relevant and effective for all communities.
Until next time, keep reflecting, questioning, and growing!
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