Dance Movement Therapy
“I see dance being used as communication between body and soul, to express what it is too deep to find for words.” - Ruth St. Denis
CanopyLAB
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Course Description
Have you ever felt worried or overwhelmed at school or at home? While we can not eliminate all stress, we can develop a response to combat these negative feelings. There is a simple way to feel better. Have you ever tried listening to your favorite song and dancing? Dance can help you channel your nervous energy into fun movement.
This course provides insights from facilitator Shubham Srivastav, from The MoveVent Project, to help us dive deeper into this unique form of therapy. We would like to dedicate this course to The MoveVent Project and express our gratitude to Srivastav for sharing her expertise with us. You will learn the basic concepts of movement therapy and tips on how to take care of yourself at home. This course is for anyone who wants to learn about movement therapy, no prior dance experience necessary.
Unit 1: What is Movement Therapy?
Unit 2: Is DMT for anyone?
Unit 3: Start moving your furniture
CanopyLAB is excited to start this journey with you around mental health. The materials contained in this course are for the sole purpose of being informative and do not cover all issues related to mental health. We will be discussing different topics that may be overwhelming to some learners. Additionally, this information should not replace consultation with your doctor or mental health provider. This course outlines evidence and discusses mental health and does not constitute medical advice. Ensure you reach out to a trusted family member, friend, or medical professional if you feel the need.
Now let your learning journey begin!
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3. That’s it! Thank you for completing a course on The LAB. We look forward to seeing you again
Units
Unit 1
What is Movement Therapy?
Global depictions of dance throughout history help us establish the long-lived history of Dance Movement Therapy or DMT. In 1966, the American Dance Therapy Association was established, and with it came the development of training and certification standards for the field.
Shubham Srivastav, a certified DMT practitioner and social worker based in India created The MoveVent Project with Damini Sahay to have a safe space in “society for healing through the medium of Dance Movement and Arts-Based Therapies.” The MoveVent Project clients span from Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Panchgani, and Jamshedpur. Dance and body movement promotes health and growth while reflecting on one’s emotional and behavioral wellbeing. The use of movement and dance supports intellectual and emotional growth in the body, looking at the correlation between action and emotion.
Unlike talk therapy, in movement therapy, one talks through their movement, not their mouths. As Srivastav says, “whatever talking we are doing, it is purely through our bodies.” Children tend to stay in their bodies more than adults, Srivastav says, “you will see that children are very much in their bodies. They do not use their mind; they flow and speak from their hearts. They are purely speaking from their hearts. As we age, we start to disconnect from our bodies and hearts and get into our minds. Our minds start to take over.” The idea of dance movement therapy is to help bridge the gap between our mind and body. While the mind may forget about past experiences, our body does not.
Move on to learn more!
Unit 2
What is DMT like and is it right for you?
Contrary to the name, dance movement therapy does not mean you need to dance or know how to dance. It solely is about listening to your body and moving in any way that feels good for you. Every dance therapist uses a different and extensive range of dance/movement therapy techniques. Every session can be tailor-made and customized depending on the clients' needs and abilities, allowing for a wide variety of movement activities.
Within a session, different techniques like drawing, journaling, group sharing, etc. are used to create a more holistic experience. Sessions can be both group and one-on-one.
Dance movement therapy helps one process experiences from life - we connect with our body's history. As Srivastav explained, we often do not know what your body has held onto until we start to move, things start to release, and you begin to feel lighter as a shift begins in your mental wellbeing. DMT helps one breakthrough emotional barriers and get to a place of safety.
Move on to learn more about DMT!
Unit 3
Moving towards your future
“While I dance I can not judge, I can not hate, I can not separate myself from life. I can only be joyful and whole. This is why I dance.” - Hans Bos
While one can not necessarily participate in DMT without a therapist, you can still dance without one and get many incredible benefits. Under the video section, you will find a Guided Dance Meditation for Emotional Release. In this video, you will be guided through movement from Youtuber Sheer Lev. We encourage you to take what you have learned from this course and start your own DMT journey.
Move on to the video and articles section to learn more.