is one of the oldest forms of art. It was first practiced by humans thousands of years ago, and we continue to use dance in a variety of ways: to communicate ideas and social norms, as a religious ritual, as a form of entertainment, and as a form of recreation. Before the invention of writing, dance was one of the most widely used methods for passing stories and ideas from one generation to the next. Social dancing, such as square dancing and line dancing, is designed to create a sense of unity and cooperation among a group of people, who often form patterns, such as squares, circles, chains, and lines. Joint dancing (a set of well-choreographed movements set to music and preformed either individually or in a group) and movement are known for their potential to promote social bonding in many cultures.
Moreover, in making use of the “interrelation of body, mind and spirit, dance also plays an important role in the healing rituals in many cultures” (Behrends et al., 2012, p. 107). For example, the circle formation often used in dances throughout the world is therapeutic in heightening social integration and connectedness, facilitating interpersonal exchange, and promoting group cohesion, all of which enhance the development of a sense of self (Karampoula & Panhofer, 2018). Thus, dance and movement are important dimensions of life globally as developmental and process-oriented types of expression that can be transformational (Block, 2001; Chaiklin & Wengrower, 2016; Kampfe, 2003).
In the United States, classical ballet (e.g., Swan Lake), modern dance groups (e.g., Dance Theater of Harlem), Broadway productions (e.g., A Chorus Line), and specific recording artists (e.g., Jennifer Lopez) often give us pleasure through their grace, motion, and breathtaking performances. Likewise, we are entertained and enchanted by the dance and movement in some films, such as Bob Fosse’s Cabaret and All That Jazz, as well as the individual and combined performances of actors such as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson/Shirley Temple, and Richard Gere/Renee Zellweger/Catherine Zeta-Jones in movies such as Singin’ in the Rain, Top Hat, The Little Colonel, and Chicago (Mitoma & Stieber, 2002).
In a similar manner, people worldwide are often moved vicariously or otherwise by different stimuli to take action on their own behalf or that of someone else. From ancient to modern times, individuals have recognized and revered the nature of movement and dance in the healing and helping process. Whether non–goal directed or goal directed, dance improves perceived stress, well-being, and self-efficacy over time (Wiedenhofer & Koch, 2017). However, the practice of DMT varies according to the worldview of those who participate in it. Cultural sensitivity is called for in appreciating the many ways participants express themselves physically (Dosamantes-Beaudry, 1999).
Yet as Hendricks (1982) noted, living
is movement, from the rhythmic motion of the tides to the life cycle of the human being. The way we move broadcasts our relationship to life. It is the bridge between what goes on inside and what we show the world. (p. 165)
Although our movements may at times be “ugly, gut-wrenchingly choppy, and out of control” (Block, 2001, p. 117) as opposed to beautiful, inspiring, free flowing, and seemingly effortless, they are ours and they are important. It is not surprising that dancing is universal, because it links people together in ways other expressive forms of interacting cannot (Dingfelder, 2010).
Despite the importance society places on dance and movement, these two action-oriented artistic forms are often neglected aspects of counseling. This is ironic because “healers were movers until the age of the mind–body dichotomy, and ancient communities recognized and honored the healing power of movement” (Hendricks, 1982, p. 165). In many early cultures, dancing was considered as important as eating and sleeping and was directly associated with healing (F. J. Levy, 1988). Indeed, Stark and Lohn (1989) wrote that “dance was one of the [primary] ways in which people experienced their participation in a community” (p. 107). In societies that still follow an oral tradition, dance serves “as an instrument of consciousness and as a vehicle for mediating unknown forces, releasing pent-up emotions, and promoting individual transformation and communal inclusiveness” (Beaudry, 1997, p. 52).
In modern times, the benefits of dance have been recognized in reference to a variety of concerns, including but not limited to stress, depression, anxiety, spirituality, autism spectrum disorder, Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, chronic heart failure, and cancer (S. Ali et al., 2017). In addition, S. Ali et al. (2017) have found that individuals may benefit from participating in a wide variety of dance, from belly dancing to waltzing, in terms of acceptance of self and others, achievement, creativity, career, culture, expression, happiness, healing, health, social support, and stress relief. Even in times of social distancing or distance counseling, dance and movement are still options. For example, the American Dance Therapy Association has developed a webinar presented by Jenny Baxley Lee, Adapting Dance/Movement Therapy to Telehealth (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16QBfWd6HT8).
The language of counseling is filled with words and phrases having to do with dance and movement, such as being “in step” or “out of step” with others, heading in the “right or wrong direction,” “leaning toward a point of view,” moving together like “poetry in motion,” and “tap dancing around the issues.” In addition, numerous counselors have backgrounds in and currently participate in dynamic endeavors that require coordinated movement and abilities, such as gymnastics, swimming, aerobics, dance, and jogging. Because a sit-and-talk model of helping is more conservative, expected, and easy to implement, counseling sessions are most often sedentary in nature. This staid model of reflecting and talking dominated traditional counseling theory and practice in the 20th century (Gladding, 2018). Counselors were not exposed to dance and movement in the therapeutic process, and they often failed as practitioners to make the most of the individual and collective abilities of their clients (Kottler, 2017).
In this chapter, I explore the multidimensional premise behind the power of dance and movement as well as the practical use of dance and movement in counseling. I distinguish between dance therapy and movement therapy. In addition, I explain and illustrate how dance and movement can be used with a variety of populations (from children to older adults) and in various settings (with individuals or groups or families). The use of dance and movement with other creative arts (e.g., music and art) is also discussed.
Premise Behind the Use of Dance and Movement in Counseling
DMT is “the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, for the purpose of improving health and well-being” (American Dance Therapy Association, 2020, para. 1). It is a widespread art-based form of psychotherapy for many somatic and psychic illnesses that has been developed since the 1940s with different orientations. The philosophy behind DMT is that body and mind are inseparable. Body movements reflect emotional states from anxiety to trauma (Dieterich-Hartwell, 2017). Research over the past couple of decades has found small but consistent effects of therapeutic use of dance and movement in terms of improving clients’ well-being, mood, affect, and body image (S. Koch et al., 2014). International research confirms that DMT is effective in work with oncology patients and patients with depression. Some people with Parkinson’s disease who generally cannot move at all can walk in time to music (Dingfelder, 2010). Furthermore, DMT is useful in the assessment of people suffering from schizophrenia and in the evaluation of parent-child interactions (S. Koch & Bräuninger, 2006).
The use of dance and movement in counseling and therapeutic settings benefits clients in one or more of six areas:
1 Resocialization and integration within a larger group system
2 Nonverbal creative expression of emotions
3 Total self- and body awareness and enhanced self-esteem (S. Ali et al., 2017)
4 Muscular
