The Role of Embodiment within Dance/Movement Therapy
- Kimberlee Bow, Ph.D.
- Aug 26
- 5 min read
Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) belongs to a branch of psychology called Somatic Psychology. It is in exploring the field of somatic psychology/DMT that we find ourselves discussing embodiment and its importance.
Embodiment
Embodiment can mean different things to different people, theorists, and fields. Within somatic psychology, embodiment is often viewed as the interconnected and interdependent nature of felt bodily experience and thoughts. Felt bodily experience awareness arises from exteroception, proprioception, and interoception. One of these concepts may be familiar from a previous blog post, but it is worth breaking these down to ensure that we are all on the same page.
Exteroception: Consciousness of stimuli from objects and occurrences present in the external environment arising from outside of the body that results in a response from exteroceptors, sensory cells (American Psychological Association 1, n.d.). The input from the external environment includes what we consider the five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste.
Proprioception: The awareness of body movements and position in space arising from activation of proprioceptors in specific parts of the body, such as muscles, tendons, joints, and the vestibular receptors (American Psychological Association 3, n.d.). It is our proprioception that allows us to understand where we are in space without relying on our sight.
Interoception: The awareness of the body’s internal senses that enable the body to perceive its own sensations (American Psychological Association, 2, n.d.).
Despite the above definitions, there is still some debate about the distinctions between them. Take the work of Toussaint et al. (2024), who proposed that a function distinction between interoception and exteroception may arise from sensor-effector loops through which the information goes to control bodily or environmental states. Still, for this blog post, the above definitions will serve our purpose.
Embodiment is a verb because it is a process that is deliberate and engaging, rather than a static concept. We have a choice as to whether we fully engage in our experiences. Here is where we will pause for a brief moment because of the word ‘choice’. Choice potentially carries numerous connotations within the context of an environment. Choice can also be connected to privilege and control when people are not allowed to make choices. Furthermore, we must consider the role of trauma and how choosing to disconnect from an experience can be an expression of survival.
Embodiment and Dance/Movement Therapy
Why discuss embodiment in the context of exploring DMT? DMT can be conceptualized as a form of psychotherapy that is embodied and enactive, as the perspective of the embodied enactive approach suggests that people are living systems that are plastic and permeable, autonomous, sense-making, emergent, experienced, and have the ability to work towards balance (Koch & Fischman, 2011). Thus, DMT provides an avenue for bringing people into their bodies, which can aid in the healing process. Why would that be important or necessary?
In Western thought, the mind and thinking are often privileged over the body, which has contributed to cultural values and norms. This way of thinking may be connected to mind-body dualism, which advocates for the mind and body as separate and distinct. Growing up in a culture that advocates mind-body dualism has consequences. It disconnects us from a body in which we daily live and serves as our source of joy and even potentially our source of trauma. Thanks to the work of people like Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (2015), who has shown the role of the body in trauma, we know that disconnecting from the body may not be the best path. And yet, Western thought continues to influence how many approach healing, negating the importance of not only the body, but also other forms of traditional healing that understand the importance of incorporating the wisdom of the soul, spirit, etc. In a previous blog post, the roots of DMT were discussed, including the role of how many cultures, for centuries, understood the wisdom of the body. So while somatic psychology/DMT has advocated for the inclusion of the body and embodiment, there is one other piece we must come back to, choice. While incorporating the body may be an essential element for healing, people still need to be empowered to make a choice. We cannot assume that people want to be in their bodies because the escape may have been necessary for survival. People need to be empowered to choose to find an embodied experience.
What’s Next?
In the previous creative arts blog post, we explored the mind-body connection to set up the discussion for this blog post. Embodiment invites us to further consider what it means to live in a body and how our bodies can truly be a source of joy and, also, a source of hardship based on societal constructs. Our ability to connect with our body, truly be present in the moment, and experience our experiences is wisdom passed to us from the generations that came before. Consider what embodiment means to you. What does it mean within the context of your family? Culture? Society? What does it mean when engaging in a culture-centered trauma-informed approach?
Until next time!
Practical Tips and Suggestions
Consider dedicating some time each day to exploring what embodiment means in your own body.
What feelings, body sensations, images, etc., arise when you connect to your understanding of embodiment?
Explore the idea of embodiment from a cultural perspective. Do some research. Embodiment may be described differently depending on culture and/or perspective. It may also be expressed differently by each person based on their experiences.
Reflect on what it means to have a choice.
What does it mean to have the freedom to make a choice?
How can embodiment offer people the opportunity to make a choice?
References
American Psychological Association (1). (n.d.). Exteroception. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved July 14, 2025, from https://dictionary.apa.org/exteroception
American Psychological Association (2). (n.d.). Introception. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved July 14, 2025, from https://dictionary.apa.org/introception
American Psychological Association (3). (n.d.). Proprioception. In APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved July 14, 2025, from https://dictionary.apa.org/proprioception
Koch, S. C., & Fischman, D. (2011). Embodied enactive dance/movement therapy. American Journal of Dance Therapy, 33(1), 57-72.
Toussaint, B., Heinzle, J., & Stephan, K. E. (2024). A computationally informed distinction of interoception and exteroception. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 159, 105608.
Van der Kolk, B. (2015). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Penguin Books
Comments