Dance and movement as therapeutic means

Dance therapy focuses on the healthy part of the person and tries to help them find it again. From Ioanna Koutiva, dance therapist (www.synkinoumai.gr), member of the Union of Dance Therapists of Greece.

The use of dance as a therapeutic tool goes back centuries and is universal. In primitive peoples it was a key element of shamanic healing rituals. Dance accompanied man in his social life, in celebrations, in religious ceremonies. The therapeutic value of dance formed the basis for the consolidation of dance therapy in the 20th century. Dance therapy was developed in psychiatric hospitals by dance teachers. Since the 70's it has been taught in the universities of the USA. and a little later in Europe. Scientific research in the field of dance therapy is constantly expanding. In Greece, dance therapy has been practiced since 1987, while in 1993 the Association of Dance Therapists of Greece was founded (http://www.gadt.gr/).
What is dance therapy Dance therapy, or dance kinetic therapy, is a form of physical psychotherapy through movement and dance that promotes and supports the process of awareness of our body and aims at the balance between body, soul and mind, as they form a whole. The individual, by participating creatively, promotes his cognitive, emotional and social integration. Dance therapy is one of the therapies through art, with the help of which stressful and repressed situations emerge through the creativity that we all have within us, and which can be cultivated . Often, adults use words to rationalize their feelings and thus become estranged from them. Art is the catalyst that lowers psychological defenses and enhances man's ability to express himself.
Basic principles All tensions and conflicts are reflected in our body. If it is not discharged, then the body suffers. Limited bodily expression, a "poor" motor vocabulary, reflects a correspondingly limited mental state. Consequently, our range of emotional expression, perception and interpersonal relationships is reduced.
Goals The goal of dance therapy is body awareness, as well as expanding our motor vocabulary for a healthy body. Dance therapy in particular aims at: *Relieving stress and tension.*Improving our relationship with the body and ourselves. *Strengthening self-confidence and self-esteem. *Strengthening the ability to communicate.*Enjoying the joy of our existence. *Prevention and treatment of mental, emotional and psychosomatic problems, such as e.g. anxiety and eating disorders.*Self-healing of the individual through regaining his lost strength.
The session A session, individual or group, is shaped according to the needs of the individuals. There is usually a verbal part, i.e. discussion, both at the beginning and at the end of the session, but most of it is taken up by movement.

The dance therapist According to the internationally valid criteria, to be considered a professional dance therapist, one must have completed a two- or three-year post-graduate dance therapy training program, which includes personal therapy, theoretical training, practical training and supervisions.

Where it is addressed Dance therapy is addressed and applied to all ages and all population groups, such as e.g. to children, teenagers, to people with learning difficulties or with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, to people with special needs, to substance addicts, to people with eating disorders, to elderly people. It is also used in psychiatry, in the treatment of neuroses, as well as to support oncology patients. No dance experience required. It can be of short or long duration and applied as an independent, parallel or complementary treatment.

It is worth letting the body express what the mouth hesitates to say. By dancing his "dance of life", man takes responsibility for his life, knows himself and others, can live freely and with joy, because kinetic expression and dance are experiences of joy.