Abstract This is a high level overview of dancemovementtherapy, what it means and how it can successfully be integrated into an individual's life. Part of the overview includes an emphasis on how dancemovementtherapy can be beneficial for one's daily live even if one is not suffering from emotional or mental health issues. There is also a brief explanation of the role of expressive arts therapy.
From the Paper "Expressive arts therapy has many components, one of which is dance movement therapy. Halprin (1999) states "movement is the body's universal language...a bridge to the interior world of self and between self and the world." Dance movement therapy has few limitations as to who can do partake in this expressive form of movement and who can benefit from it. This paper will provide a basic overview of what dance movement therapy is and how it is effective. The second section of the paper will focus on how dance movement therapy can be successfully integrated an individual's life. Part of the overview includes an emphasis on how dance movement therapy can be beneficial for one's daily live even if one is not suffering from emotional or mental health issues. "
Abstract This paper is about dancemovementtherapy as a form of expressive art therapies. The paper focuses on how dancetherapy is about the release of emotional trauma or beliefs as well as feelings that have been suppressed, through appropriate movement. There is a brief history of development of dancetherapy as well as a personal story about how fears can limit the ability to dance.
From the Paper "The expressive arts offer a multitude of opportunities for the human spirit to achieve balance, freedom, relief and potentially self-actualization. While great emphasis in class has been placed on the spirit of the human condition and spirit of the soul, after a brief discussion about the spirit, this paper will focus on what movement and dance therapy are about, the use of dance therapy as a way of unleashing burdensome emotions and psychological pathology in combinations of the arts and solely using dance and movement as the expressive medium. This paper will also include comments on the generally fear and shame based reasons why individuals might initially shy away from dance and movement therapy."
Abstract This paper looks at two different types of psychoanalysis, or 'talk therapy,' as it is known. The author contrasts and compares the work of two different therapists in the field. Molly Young Brown's text on psychosynthesis, entitled "The Unfolding Self: Psychosynthesis and Counseling," deals mainly with the treatment of adults, while Fran Levy's book "DanceMovementTherapy: A Healing Art," covers the treatment of children. The author looks at the differences in their approaches and how important it is to treat each patient as an individual. These two therapists' theories cannot be applied to each other's patients as the author demonstrates how each of their approaches are targeted to specific age-range and take into account the needs of this audience, whether it be adults or children. Children use dance and movement as a way to express themselves, in the same way that an adult uses their verbal skills in therapy.
From the Paper "Dance therapy is not only of use to those impaired from birth, however. Levy also uses dance therapy to help children who have sexually abused express what was done to them, their feelings about the abuse, and to recover a sense of empowerment over their bodies. It is important for those who experience damage to their bodies and thus damage to their sense of self and to their sense of sexual well-beings, to experience a newly positive sense of their empowerment, sexuality, and physical self. This issue of empowerment of the self is dealt with in a more extensive fashion Molly Young Brown's book The Unfolding Self. Brown makes it clear that therapists must not only treat the person as a mind, they must also treat the person they are counseling as a body. She stresses the need for individuals who come to therapy to establish a connection with themselves and the larger world, to not see their suffering as an isolated, purely psychological affliction but something that has roots in larger social problems and attitudes."
Abstract This paper explains that Constraint-Induced MovementTherapy (CIMT), or Constraint-Induced Therapy, has become a promising choice for the treatment of patients with hemiparesis, especially after a brain insult such as a stroke; hemiparesis involves the partial impairment resulting from one side of the body being more affected than the other. The author points out that CIMT involves the constraint of the unaffected limb to stimulate use of the affected area by constraint and training to improve the ability of the affected limb. This paper relates that the proposed research will be a phenomenological, qualitative, assessment study and will be of use to patients and practicing occupational and physical therapists.
Table of Contents
Research problem
Study Proposal
Research Question
Research Design
Sample Design
Data Collection
Data Reduction and Analysis
Ethical Considerations
Limitations of the Study
Appendix A: Interview Guide
Appendix B: Data Collection Sample Form
Appendix C: Informed Consent Form
From the Paper "An examination of the literature surrounding CIMT reveals that virtually all of the studies focus exclusively on measurements of improved performance. The only studies that acknowledge qualitative investigations do so in the context of recognizing the current lack of findings. In the context of the current literature on constraint-induced therapy it is important to recognize the lack of qualitative findings, and acknowledge the need for them as well. Therapy choices are only as effective as the patients they are used on. In the case of hemiparetic stroke patients, psychosocial impacts of therapies cannot be ignored."
Abstract This paper discuses autism and includes some personal accounts of living with autism. The author then goes on to discuss therapy for autism, focusing specifically on dancetherapy as a form of psychotherapy in which patients are encouraged to express their feelings and inner conflicts through dance. The paper stresses that, by aiding and restoring connection and rhythm, dance and movementtherapy helps autistic children who are out of sync with other persons involved in their lives and who experience problems connecting between their bodies and their emotional selves.
Table of Contents:
Autism
Personal Accounts
DanceTherapy From "Out" to In Sync
From the Paper "Children in the middle range, albeit usually know and prefer their caregivers' company over others, however children at the severe end of autism may experience challenges recognizing their own family members. Asperger Syndrome, which represents the greatest number of individuals with autism, ranks at the high-functioning end of the autism. Many children with Asperger's function well intellectually and verbally. By today's standards, Shore states, he would have been considered to have Asperger's."
Abstract Butoh is a Japanese art form that emerged in 1959 as a response to western oppression. Western political dominance had a serious impact on the aesthetic sense of dancer Tatsumi Hijikata, who developed a new form of dance that comprises strange body movements, gestures and jerks. This paper provides an overview of the history and make-up of Butoh and shows how it is also accepted as a form of movementtherapy.
From the Paper "Artaud rejected the views, beliefs and values of the theatre of his time. He was not interested in projecting reality and sanity as they were accepted by the mainstream theatre-goers. For him, artistic skills represented the ability to fully embrace the unknown, the untried and the unseen. Artaud did not view insanity as a problem. Everything that treaded on the dangerous was found exciting as it opened a new medium of expression and challenged the classical traditions of Japanese theatre."
Tags: ohno, kabuki, koto, artaud, deconstruction, theory
Abstract This paper discusses the Indian culture's mask dance. The paper explains that the nation of India has a long history associated with dance as a form of communication and expression. The paper contends that dances are more than just a fusion of choreographic movements; dance in India represents a way of telling tales of historical events, passion, romance, and even tales of treachery and woe.
From the Paper "Dance in the culture has always represented some of the more inner reflections regarding the country's combination of historical turbulence mixed with the nation's religious and inner peace oriented factions such as Hinduism. "The Arts of India are the illustration of the religious life of the Hindus. Like their faith, the arts have been preserved for the past three thousand years, from change and decay, from foreign invasions, and from the fury of the nature. We owe its preservation to the future generations. For, it exemplifies how life can indeed revolve around the arts." (Kamat, 2004) In other words, dance in Indian culture is seen as more than just a fusion of detailed and non-meaningful movements; it is more a system for delivering aspects of the culture to the masses."
This paper discusses "Symphonie Fantastique" by Hector Berlioz Op. 14 (1830), with particular attention given to the 5th movement, "Dream of a Witches' Sabbath".
895 words (approx. 3.6 pages), 0 sources, 2002, $ 31.95
Abstract This paper explains that, though the theme of the Berlioz's 5th Movement, "Dream of a Witches' Sabbath," might suggest a dark or boding tonal element, the focus of this work as a lively piece that integrates images of the trivial and excitable relates a different perspective on this theme. The author points out that Berlioz initiates the "idee fixe" with the use of a clarinet, which appears to suggest a kind of dancemovement, integrating timpani and brevity in order to maintain some question as to the purpose of the dance. The paper states that there are musical elements that further contextualize the dance, creating a quick-moving segment utilizing violins and violas, which create darkness in the sound quality that underscores the contrast between exuberance and loss.
From the Paper "These factors are related to the alternative interpretation in the immediacy of the contemplative nature of the dramatic personae in Berlioz's work. The use of this component shapes the perspective integrated into the work and also sets the stage for change. It is not surprising, then, that the fast pace of the dance segment and the liveliness presented can sometimes be used to interpret a different meaning from the work. Further, Berlioz also sets apart the elements of doom, including the introduction of the Dies Irae, which is a mass-like component that suggests dread or doom. This element is based on the belief that the Witches Sabbath is defined by death or by the death of an individual and the need to be a part of a burial process, all of which also demonstrate the loss inherent in the work."
This paper discusses Natalie Safir's poem based on the Impressionist masterpiece, Matisse's "The Dance", which depicts a ring of five naked women dancing on a mound of fertile green grass.
1,615 words (approx. 6.5 pages), 0 sources, 2004, $ 52.95
Abstract This paper explains that this poem serves as an extended caption or a lyrical description of ?The Dance,? not as a feminist or psychoanalytic, symbolic interpretation of that painting in spite of those elements contained within the poem. The author points out that Safir's description of the movement and momentum in the painting corresponds directly to Matisse's images of the women, whose spiral dance brings the painting to life.The paper stresses that Safir's diction parallels Matisse's painting in its simplicity; a tone of simultaneous joy and anxiety is apparent in both the painting and the poem that describes it.
From the Paper "The "spirals of glee" that Safir perceives refers to the circular energy created by the spiral dance. While a spiral dance has feminist and pagan implications, this description is not arbitrary. Matisse's "Dance" is no tango but a female-centered ritualistic circular dance. It may or may not be fertility-related; Matisse's women are painted with such little detail that indeed several of them may be pregnant. In a similarly subtle fashion, Safir suggests pregnancy in her poem. One of the women's torsos is a ?green-burning torch,? indicating the potential life within. The poet's reference to "ripeness" also hints at possible pregnancy: ?grass mounds curve ripely.? However, these poetic elements are literal renderings of Matisse's own symbolism. Safir directly refers to the "grass mounds" that ?curve ripely beneath.? Her description of the grass, while it is innuendo for female sexuality and pregnancy, is actually just that: a description of the grass. Even the line "Breasts swell and multiply" is a formal interpretation of Matisse's painting. The artist does depict breasts, and the women's bodies are deliberately ambiguous as far as whether they are pregnant or not."
Abstract The paper examines the book, "Teaching Children Dance", which advises teachers of children from kindergarten to fifth grade how to teach dance in a meaningful and educational way. The paper relates that the text contains dance lessons that are simple enough to teach children, but still contains an overview and a philosophical belief in the value of dance as an art form. The paper maintains that this book should be read by all elementary school teachers anxious for practical advice on incorporating dance into their lesson plans, creating dances and explaining the need for dance to parents and administrators.
From the Paper ""I can't dance." How many times have you heard an adult say this, at a party or even at a family function like a wedding? Probably many times. How many times have you heard a child say this? Probably never. How do we lose this fluidity of motion and love of our own physical capabilities? Some might say that it is lost because school forces children to sit all day in their seats in an unnatural posture, and hems in their natural, human love of movement. One solution to this dancing dilemma is provided by the engaging, practical and informative text Teaching Children Dance."
Abstract In this paper, the writer discusses that the Baile, Egyptian Cabaret, and Nritta represent a cross-cultural connection in world dance, which embodies the love that men and women share for each other. In this manner, the religious idioms of the cultures described here represent the manner of movement that depicts love, but through the sacred ideals of commitment and love. The writer points out that although these differ slightly in the accompaniment of dancers, or in the stylistics of the choreography, there is a archetypal cultural unifier that relates the desire and higher love of men and women across the world.
From the Paper "This study examines the multi-cultural aspects of "divine love" in Kathak, Middle Eastern, and Flamenco dancing. Within these dances there is a greater blend of different cultural values that make up each of the formats of these dances. In this manner, the chain of influence upon the Kathak, Middle Eastern, and Flamenco dances offer a multi-cultural depiction of how dance is not created within the limitations of geographical boundaries. By understanding the cultural similarities based in these dances, one can realize the power of movement that is a commonality within the religious and divine nature of love. The Kathak dance is a religiously based dance that formally uses the divinity of love for Indian gods, and their dance in the Cosmos."
Abstract The paper is an in-depth study of the history of hip hop dance, from before and after the 1970s, and its effects on society. It explores how this type of dance is unlike other dance forms and the elements that make it up. There are no fixed forms to dance, but only styles. The rest is up to the dancer. It is a style of dance for all society giving the freedom to all to dance according to their desires. The paper also shows how hip hop is very much an American product. The hip hop trend enables the path for several dancers, and at the same time it also fosters and promotes more suggestive dance moves. The paper provides clear indications of the effects on culture; some hip hop is racist in theme, while others are sexist. Many hip hop musicians concentrate on such issues like social inequity and the dangers of heroin use. The conclusion is that hip hop is more than just music. It is becoming the soul of pop culture as never before, and steadily moving from the street corners and music videos towards usage in the fitness centers, dance studios as well as television shows.
From the Paper "Hip hop may be viewed as a culture and is often used to refer to commercial rap music, but hip-hop is not only music. It is loved by the American ghetto youth who claim that it is their method of self-expression and use hip hop to rise over their physical situations. The culture of hip hop has its roots based on truth, self-determination, courage and pride. This is the reason why it has grown to have its impact on almost every part of the world. (Hip-hop History) Some hip hop is racist in their themes, while others are sexist. At the same time, there are also many hip hop musicians who concentrate on such issues like social inequity and the dangers of heroin use. From its early days in the US, the music is being played in projects and some underground clubs, but, now it has achieved a profile that has led to include it in the 1992 presidential debates over Sister Soljah. In the 20th Century Fox movie, Bulworth, there is Warren Beatty playing a Senator who berates his opponents using rap. Hip hop, it would seem, has become a part of our lives. (Classified Hip-Hop or I wanna blow up like Marilyn Monroe's skirt) At the same time, hip hop is not only music. This form of dancing has become very popular and this is clear from the opinions of some experts. "There's a definite surge in the white neighborhood that wouldn't necessarily be exposed to hip-hop in their everyday life," says Keith Pinto, who is an MC and hip-hop dance teacher at the Dance Attack in Los Gatos, California. "They watch MTV, see other kids doing it and want to be a part of it. You can pretty much go to any dance studio in the Bay area and they'll have a hip-hop class." (Hip-hop dance fever)"
Abstract This paper examines historically social dancing in the 20th century, also called couple dancing. The paper describes the five different types: Modern Waltz, Tango, Viennese Waltz, Slow Foxtrot, and Quickstep, all of which are presently danced the world over both socially as well as in dance sport competitions.
From the Paper "Social dancing was derived from the concept of dancing by a couple, usually a man and a lady, in a closed hand. Coming from the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, these dances gained popularity from the standard ballroom dances with diverse rhythms, tempos, and aesthetics. Although all these aspects changed with the change in the social attitudes, the one thing, which remained common through out the history of dancing, is that of the couple dance or the social dances. (Evans 2001)"
Abstract This paper explains that many dance traditions have originated in India and Indonesia, such as the Bharata Natyam from South India, which had an important historical and cultural influence on the history of India. The author points out that important elements of Hinduism, particularly the figure Nataraja, a form of Shiva, are expressed in Bharata Natyam. The paper relates that this dance, as well as many other religious dances, demonstrate the integral relationship between religious dances and the religious themes that inspire them.
From the Paper "Many dance traditions have originated in India and Indonesia, such as the Bharata Natyam from South India, which had an important historical and cultural influence on the history of India. Important elements of Hinduism, particularly the figure Nataraja, a form of Shiva, are expressed in Bharata Natyam. This dance, as well as many other religious dances, demonstrates the integral relationship between religious dances and the religious themes that inspire them. In terms of specific details of Bharata Natyam, it emerged in southern India and developed over the centuries as a living tradition as generation after generation handed it down from parents to children, and gained ascendancy when the Devadasi system emerged in India."
Abstract This paper takes a look at Islam's view on dance and music. According to the paper, although there are many groups within Islam that profess that music and dancing are forbidden, it is clear that the Qu'ran itself does not explicitly prohibit these activities. The paper goes on to say that several avenues of worship within Islam have developed into the practice of reaching God through dance or music. The paper focuses specifically on the Quwalli and the Mevelevi Order, also known as The Whirling Dervishes.
From the Paper "More intentionally musical is the Sufic tradition of the Quwalli. Quwali means "word," and can be thought of as the physical and auditory manifestation of the divine voice. As with the Quri, the Quwallis use their voice as a tool of worship, but they move into the world of interpretation and individual expression of the words themselves. They can be likened to the Gospel singers of the Western world in this respect, though this may be a misleading comparison since the Sufi practice, from which the Quwalli find their beginnings and roots, is far more steeped in history and tradition and could be considered a more "serious" endeavor. Quwallis use the music of their voices to worship foremost, and to communicate and encourage their listeners to worship with them is a secondary concern."
