Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Accepting Mortality: Using Dance/Movement Therapy In Nursing Home Care, Wesley Johnson-Klein

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

As the elderly population continues to grow, there is new importance put on changing perceptions of the aging process. Long-term care in the form of nursing homes are seeing a shift in life expectancy as elderly individuals are living well into their eighties and nighties. This brings to light a lot of difficulties for the aging population who are experiencing major physical and cognitive declines. This also shows gaps in nursing home care when looking at the needs of elderly individuals who are facing their mortality. The medicalization of long-term care has put an emphasis on prolonging life, but is …

It’S A Bird? No. It’S A Plane! No, It’S A Dance/Movement Therapist!, Dominique Andriese Fickling

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This thesis explores how Dance/Movement Therapy can support children in palliative care, and provide models for the role of the dance/movement therapist using superhero imagery. The work of five dance/movement therapy pioneers, Marian Chace, Liljan Espenak, Blanche Evan, Trudi Schoop, and Mary Starks Whitehouse, and one foundational theorist, Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen are discussed and used as models for the development of dance/movement therapy archetypal superheroes. Case material from a dance/movement therapist’s work in a pediatric palliative care setting is used to illustrate the application of the superhero model.

Cultivating Presence And Relatedness: The Role Of Grounding In Dance/Movement Therapy, Kyleigh Sackandy

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This thesis examines the role of grounding in the evolution of individual presence and group relatedness often experienced in dance/movement therapy sessions. The physical and psychological concepts of grounding are discussed, investigating the relationship between the body and gravity as a foundational piece for one’s sense of being in the world. The felt experience of the body in communication with gravity, awareness of these sensations, and the resources within the body associated with grounding are examined as they apply to presence and interconnectivity. These concepts, as well as the potential for self-discovery via grounding, are portrayed through case examples.

Applying Elements Of Contra Dance To Reduce Symptoms In Children With High-Functioning Autism, Jenna N. Ellis

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This paper will focus primarily on a child diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, specifically High-Functioning Autism, who attended a summer camp in 2015. A definition of autism and how it affects a diagnosed child will be explained. Analysis of the benefits of group dance/movement therapy (DMT) with children diagnosed within the autism spectrum will also be presented. Additionally, past documented studies regarding this population and the use of dance/movement therapy as a catalyst for reducing symptoms of autism will be described. Focusing on three specific goals (commitment, community, interpersonal/intrapersonal relationships) this paper will describe how the Contra Dance form can …

Choosing Embodiment, Tenaya Cowsill

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

The purpose of this paper is to review and consider the way in which both interpersonal and intrapersonal relationships are affected by technology. As commentary surrounding an epidemic of loneliness becomes increasingly common, this paper looks to identify and understand what it truly means to be connected. By bringing awareness and understanding to the effects of technology on the experience of relationship, and by offering a deeper understanding of the role of embodiment, it is possible to work towards balanced and healthy relationships that satisfy in quality rather than quantity.

Nature-Based Dance/Movement Therapy, Kelsey Gangnath

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This paper examines how a therapist’s embodied experience of the natural world can provide a foundation for utilizing a nature-based dance/movement therapy with medically fragile children in long term care. Beginning with a reflection on her childhood experiences in nature, the author then discusses the literature on the impact of nature on human development and the implications of loss of contact with nature. The final section presents examples of how the integration of natural elements and embodied experience was used to provide dance/movement therapy to medically fragile children at Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center in Yonkers, NY.

The Use Of Dance/Movement Therapy In A Preschool Curriculum: Enhancing Kindergarten Readiness Skills, Lynda Perez-Venero Naimoli

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This thesis will focus on an internship project designed to integrate dance/movement therapy into the Early Childhood Center (ECC) at Sarah Lawrence College. The premise was that specific dance/movement therapy goals would enhance the ECC’s preschool curriculum by strengthening each child’s cognitive learning, supporting their developmental skills and preparing them for the transition to kindergarten.

Activities were created addressing developmental skills needed for the transition from preschool to kindergarten. The various activities developed for the dance/movement therapy sessions focused on the development of one's own sense of self and relational sense of self, impulse control, interpersonal boundaries, social skills and …

Trusting The Unseen: Hannah And Embodied Prayer, Elizabet Diane Abraham

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

Both Mystical Judaic teachings and Body-Mind Centering discuss the spiritual and psychological meanings of the body‘s organs, beyond their physical function. Using the biblical story of Hannah‘s prayer as a starting point, this thesis discusses each discipline‘s approach to the organs, with a specific focus on the heart and lungs, and investigates how these can be used as tools toward body and soul integration. The body and the journey of embodiment, central to dance/movement therapy, allow access to the experience of the organs as performing vital physical functions, providing meaningful structural support, opening a gateway into the emotional world and …

Dance/Movement Therapy And Tai Chi For Seniors With Dementia, Elissaveta Iordanova

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This thesis examines the integration of Tai Chi movements into a dance/movement therapy group with members of an adult care community who have been diagnosed with dementia. Information is provided on the origins, concepts and movement principles of Tai Chi. A brief analysis of existing research supports the application of Tai Chi movement principles in dance/movement therapy treatment for the elderly with dementia. The application of Tai Chi in dance/movement therapy sessions is as an integrated and adapted form, in which the movements follow the traditional conceptual frame, characteristics and elements, but are specifically designed to meet the needs of …

Dance/Movement Therapy With Blind And Visually Impaired Children In Nepal, Hideki Takahashi

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This study was based on an intervention done with twenty-four blind and visually impaired Nepalese children using Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT). Since this was the first DMT intervention offered to them, the study focused on their response to DMT. The children were videotaped in their interactions, and interviewed about their experience and participation. The participants were selected through purposive sampling, divided in three age groups, and observed over the span of eight consecutive days. The sessions lasted between 30 and 60 minutes, during which the different groups were involved in several activities. The dance/movement therapy sessions were well received by the …

The Essence Of Contact Improvisation In Dance/Movement Therapy, Minh Tuyet Bui

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

Reading the book Caught Falling (Koteen and Smith, 2008) led me to explore and reflect on the relationship between touch and movement in Contact Improvisation. This thesis also integrates and examines Body-Mind Centering research (Cohen, 1993) in relation to Caught Falling in order to fully understand how touch and movement offer psychotherapeutic benefits. Although different from Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT), Contact Improvisation has elements that are relevant to DMT practice. These include connection, attunement and development. Case examples are introduced to highlight the benefits of attuned movement for connection and transformation.

Transformation In Belly Dance: Movement, Rhythm, Ritual, And Connection, Hillary Elise Posey

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

Transformation of the self in belly dance occurs in the dance’s movements and in the aspects of rhythm, ritual, and connection. Through the development of awareness and embodiment in belly dance, the mover experiences physical, psychological, social, and spiritual growth. Practiced in individual and group settings, belly dance promotes self-­‐awareness and self-­‐expression, as well as the opportunity for the witnessing of one’s self-­‐expression by a supportive community in a safe environment, and it is a pertinent method of leisure and performance art across gender, cultural, and socioeconomic boundaries.

Connections Through Movement: A Case Study Of An Adolescent Boy With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alyssa Rachel Infranco

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This thesis uses a case study format to examine the use of dance/movement therapy with an adolescent boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It provides background information on ASD and the effectiveness of dance/movement therapy with this population. The case material focuses on forming a trusting relationship, discusses specific movement activities and approaches, and evaluates the child’s progress throughout the movement sessions. Children with disabilities often need extra support from their families when growing up. Specifically, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have difficulties forming relationships and changing repetitive behaviors. Utilizing dance/movement therapy techniques and movement analyses, children with ASD …

Fluye Esencia: An Embodied Exploration Of Cellular Awareness, Allyssa Stephanie Rivera Cabrero

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to explore and embody the process of cellular awareness as described in a variety of somatic works including, but not limited to, Body-Mind Centering and Continuum Movement. The discussion focuses on how cellular awareness can be developed through the use of imagination, visualization, and cellular sensing and attention via breath, movement, and sound. This cellular awareness can support a greater sense of self and a greater sense of vitality, stability, potential and connectedness between self, society, and universe. Cellular awareness is a relevant practice for dance/movement therapists in that the process promotes fuller embodiment …

Dance/Movement Therapy At An After School Program For At Risk Adolescent Girls In Yonkers, New York, Sarah Zichi

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This thesis examines how the addition of dance/movement therapy affected the participants of an afterschool program hosted by The Mary J. Blige Center for Women and Girls in Yonkers, New York. A brief history of the city of Yonkers, focusing on the impact of political changes on the socioeconomic divide, is provided, as is a discussion of Mary J. Blige’s experiences growing up in this urban environment and her decision to open a center for women and children. Through a review of the literature, the effectiveness of afterschool programs in teaching adolescents life skills, building positive and trusting relationships, increasing …

Awareness Through The Senses: A Multisensory Approach To Improvisation, Angelica Grace Falcinelli

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

This paper will discuss some of the artistic practices of dance improvisers which can be utilized to enhance sensory awareness. Similarities to witnessing internal experience derived from Authentic Movement practice are utilized to connect the artistic to the clinical experience. Artistic practices related to as well as neuro biological function of several sensory systems of the body are discussed to present some of the benefits and challenges to increasing awareness of these various senses. Clinical application of the material for select populations is also discussed.

Liturgical Dance: A Dance/Movement Therapy Treatment Modality To Build Resilience, Jana Élise Taylor

Dance/Movement Therapy Theses

The purpose of this thesis was to promote the understanding of liturgical dance, explore how liturgical dance can be integrated into a dance/movement therapy session, and determine whether elements of liturgical dance can be used in a clinical setting to support resilience, especially with African-American children who are dealing the effects of complex trauma. To further the goal of building resilience for children with complex trauma, a dance/movement therapy intervention was developed using movement themes of liturgical dance to address five developmental domains. Goals focused on developing self-awareness, impulse control, boundaries, problem-solving, and physical health. A discussion of five movement …