En dance therapy, the body becomes the instrument from which we learn to feel good about ourselves, to get out of our head, to regain the child’s energy. Dance therapy aims at self-awareness and the release of tensions and blockages inscribed in the body’s memory. On the plan physical, it improves circulation, coordination and muscle tone. On the plan mental and emotional, it strengthens self-assertion, revives intellectual capacities and creativity, and allows one to encounter emotions that are sometimes difficult to express verbally: anger, frustration, feeling of isolation, etc.

A session of dance therapy takes place individually or in groups, in a place that looks more like a dance studio than a therapist’s office. At the first meeting, the therapist seeks to define the motives and objectives of the process, then he continues with dance and movement. Movements can be improvised or not and vary depending on the style of the therapist. The Music is not always present; in a group, it can be a unifying element, but silence favors the search for rhythm in oneself.

To create a climate of trust and complicity and promote realization of his body and the environment, some therapists use various objects, sometimes unusual, such as a balloon one meter in diameter! Dance therapy allows you to rediscover your anatomy and brings up a host of sensations, feelings and thoughts. At the end of the session, we can discuss the discoveries and sensations felt during bodywork. These exchanges can lead to awareness and guide the next steps in the process.

Dance has always been one of the rituals of healing¹ and celebration of traditional cultures. In our society, dance therapy appeared in the 1940s. It responded, among other things, to the need to find a non-verbal approach to treat patients suffering from psychiatric disorders. Various pioneers have created their own methods inspired by different approaches to body movement^2-5 .

In 1966, the establishment of the American Dance Therapy Association (see Sites of Interest) enabled dance therapists to obtain professional recognition. Since then, the association has regulated dance therapy training standards and brings together professionals from 47 countries.

It seems that the dance therapy would suit people of all ages and all conditions and would be useful, among other things, to promote health in general, the image and theself esteem, and alleviate stress, fears, anxiety, physical tension and chronic pain. In groups, dance therapy would promote social reintegration, awareness of oneself and one’s space and the creation of emotional bonds. It would also provide a feeling of well-being born from the pleasure of being in a group.

A meta-analysis published in 1996⁶ concluded that dance therapy could be effective in improving certain variables physiological et psychological. However, the authors of this meta-analysis pointed out that the majority of studies of dance therapy had various methodological anomalies, including the absence of control groups, the small number of subjects, and the use of inadequate instruments to measure dance. changes. Since then, a few better quality studies have been published.

 Improve the quality of life of cancer patients. Random trial⁷ involving 33 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 5 years and having completed their treatments for at least 6 months was published in 2000. The results indicated that dance therapy sessions, performed over a period of 6 weeks, had a positive effect on available now, fatigue and somatization. However, no effect was observed for the depression, anxiety and mood variables.

In 2005, 2 pilot tests were published^8,9. The results indicate that 6- or 12-week dance and movement therapy can decrease stress levels and improve performance. quality of life people with or in remission from cancer.

 Reduce the level of anxiety. A meta-analysis that included 23 studies in total, including 5 evaluating the effects of dance therapy on anxiety level, was published in 1996⁶. She concluded that dance therapy might be effective in reducing anxiety, but well-controlled trials to say for sure are lacking. Since then, only one controlled trial has been published (in 1)¹⁰. The results indicate a decrease in the level of anxiety related to exams in students who followed dance therapy sessions for 2 weeks.

 Decrease symptoms of depression. Random trial¹¹ involving 40 adolescent girls with mild depression evaluated the effects of a 12-week dance therapy program. At the end of the experiment, the adolescent girls in the dance therapy group showed decreases in their symptoms of psychological distresscompared to the control group. In addition, the concentrations of serotonin and dopamine, two neurotransmitters, were favorably modulated in adolescent girls in the dance therapy program.

 Relieve those suffering from fibromyalgia. By including several dimensions of a physical, emotional, cognitive and cultural nature, dance therapy would theoretically have the potential to relieve patients suffering from fibromyalgia. It would reduce their fatigue, their stress and their pain¹². Only one controlled trial has been published related to this issue.¹². It involved 36 women with fibromyalgia. No changes in blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol were seen in women in the group dance therapy (one session per week for 6 months), compared to the control group (no intervention). The women in the dance therapy group, however, reported positive changes in the pain they felt, their mobility and their vital energy.

 Help patients with schizophrenia. In 2009, a systematic review¹³ identified only one study¹⁴ evaluating the effects of dance therapy on symptoms of chronic schizophrenia. Forty-five patients, in addition to receiving the usual care, were placed in dance therapy or counseling groups. After 10 weeks, patients in the dance group were more assiduous in therapy sessions and had fewer symptoms of the disease. After 4 months, these same results were observed. But due to the high number of dropouts in the groups (over 30%), no firm conclusions could be drawn.

 Helping patients with Parkinson’s disease. In 2009, 2 studies assessed the impact of social dance (tango and waltz) on functional mobility and balance in elderly patients with Parkinson’s disease^15,16. The sessions were either condensed (1,5 hours, 5 days a week for 2 weeks) or spaced out (20 hours spread over 13 weeks). The results show improvements in terms of mobility functional, gait and balanced. The authors conclude that dance sessions, whether condensed or spaced out, should be introduced into the daily lives of individuals with Parkinson’s.

 Improve the balance of the elderly. In 2009, 2 studies evaluated the effect of a weekly session of jazz dance in healthy women over 50^17,18. Fifteen weeks of practice, at the rate of one session per week, led to significant improvements inbalanced.

La dance therapy is practiced in a wide variety of contexts, particularly in private practice, in psychiatric hospitals, long-term care establishments, rehabilitation centers, rehabilitation centers for alcoholics and drug addicts, centers for young offenders as well as in correctional settings and seniors’ residences.

In Quebec, there are few dance therapists accredited by ADTA. It is therefore necessary to ensure individually the competence of the interveners by inquiring about their training and their experience as much in dance as well as therapists.

Several master’s programs in dance therapy are available in the United States and various countries. Most are accredited by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA). For countries that do not offer master’s programs, ADTA has implemented an alternative program, the Alternative Route. It is aimed at candidates with a master’s degree in dance or in helping relationships (social work, psychology, special education, etc.) who wish to continue their training in dance therapy.

Currently, there is no master’s program in dance therapy in Quebec. However, a Masters in Arts Therapy program, offered at Concordia University, includes optional courses in dance therapy.¹⁹. On the other hand, the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM) offers, within the framework of 2^e cycle in dance, some courses that can be credited by ADTA²⁰.

Goodill Sharon W. An Introduction to Medical DanceMovement Therapy: Health Care in Motion, Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Great Britain, 2005.

A very well documented book which deals in particular with the use of dance therapy in a medical context.

Klein J.-P. Art therapy. Ed. Men and perspectives, France, 1993.

The author examines all the arts of expression – dance, music, poetry and the visual arts. An interesting book which presents the possibilities of each of the artistic approaches as a mode of intervention.

Lesage Benoît. Dance in the Therapeutic Process – Foundations, Tools and Clinic in Dance Therapy, Éditions Érès, France, 2006.

A dense work which is primarily intended for professionals, but which rigorously presents the theoretical framework and clinical practice in dance therapy.

Levy Fran S. Dance Movement Therapy : A Healing Art. American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, États-Unis, 1992.

A classic on dance therapy. History and influences of the approach in the United States.

Morange Ionna. The sacred in motion: A manual of dance therapy. Diamantel, France, 2001.

The author offers exercises to free yourself from energy blockages and learn to inhabit your body.

Naess Lewin Joan L. Dance Therapy Notebook. American Dance Therapy Association, United States, 1998.

The book presents the clinical observations of an experienced practitioner. For beginners and professionals.

Roth Gabrielle. The Ways of Ecstasy: Teachings from a city shaman. Editions du Roseau, Canada, 1993.

Through dance, song, writing, meditation, theater and rituals, the author invites us to awaken and take advantage of our latent powers.

Roulin Paula. Biodanza, the dance of life. Recto-Verseau editions, Switzerland, 2000.

The origin, foundations and applications of biodance. A tool for personal and social development.

Sandel S, Chaiklin S, Lohn A. Foundations of Dance/Movement Therapy : The Life and Work of Marian Chace, Marian Chace Foundation of the American Dance Therapy Association, États-Unis, 1993.

Presentation of the method of Marian Chace, one of the American pioneers who used dance as a tool for intervention in mental health.

American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA)

Standards of practice and training, international directory of art therapists and schools, bibliography, information on activities, etc.

www.adta.org

American Journal of Dance Therapy

The magazine in which research and theses in dance therapy are published.

www.springerlink.com

Creative Arts Therapies — Concordia University

http://art-therapy.concordia.ca

Department of Dance – University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM)

www.danse.uqam.ca

National Coalition of Creative Arts Therapies Associations (NCCATA)

Presentation of the different forms of art therapy. The NCCATA represents professional associations dedicated to the advancement of arts therapy as a tool of intervention.

www.nccata.org