How Dance Movement Therapy Can Nurture Student Growth in Your Dance School
Pratheeksha Mani
February 13, 2025
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7 min
Have you ever been so caught up in the rhythm of a song that you just can't stop playing it on loop? It’s that irresistible feeling that makes us hit repeat again and again. Well, it turns out that this connection to music and movement goes beyond just enjoying a good beat!
Recent research publications have shown evidence of the positive effects of dance on individuals’ health and well-being across a large spectrum of age groups and societies.
A recent report reveals that most dance instructors noticed that students attending their classes had no desire to become performers. Instead, the classes helped them enhance their communication skills, foster empathy, and improve both the quality and quantity of their interactions.
This is where dance movement therapy steps in. Dance movement therapy helps boost cognitive function, improves emotional well-being, and enhances behavior, making it an incredibly effective tool for psychological healing and growth.
That said, let's first take a closer look at what dance movement therapy is and delve in deeper to understand its core techniques and value. Keep reading!
Dance movement therapy, also known as dance therapy, is a form of creative art psychotherapy that utilizes the power of movement and dance to promote physical, emotional, and intellectual well-being.
In dance movement therapy, movement and nonverbal expression are used alongside traditional talk therapy to address psychological and behavioral issues that words alone may not fully capture. It’s about exploring the hidden or suppressed parts of oneself and using movement to express emotions and experiences that might be difficult to articulate.
Picture someone dealing with depression, unsure of the reasons behind their feelings. They struggle to articulate their emotions. With dance movement therapy sessions, they could use their body to express the emotional weight they carry—through slow, restricted movements that mirror the heaviness they feel. On the other hand, they could also use flowing, expansive movements to convey moments of emotional release or relief. By embodying their feelings through movements, they express emotions that words alone cannot capture, offering a path to healing that goes beyond what traditional talk therapy can provide.
But the bigger question is, what exactly do these movements involve, and are they practiced or spontaneous? Let’s find out!
Dance movement therapists employ a range of techniques to foster nonverbal connections. They create a safe and open environment where individuals can explore a sense of invitation, freedom of choice, and emotional validation while learning to navigate and tolerate their internal sensations. Through compassionate guidance, they help individuals develop a greater sense of control and autonomy over their bodies, offering supportive ways to self-expression and awareness.
In the mirrored movement technique, two participants work together, with one taking the role of the ‘mover’ and the other the ‘mirror.’ The ‘mover’ creates improvised movements to express a particular emotion or theme, sharing their inner experience through the body. The ‘mirror’ partner responds to these movements by reflecting them.
This can be done in two ways: the mirror partner may mimic the exact physical actions of the mover, such as a specific gesture or movement pattern, or they may reflect the emotional tone they perceive in the mover’s movements, such as echoing a feeling of joy or sadness.
This technique helps foster a sense of being understood, seen, and connected with another person, deepening the emotional bond. It also enhances empathy, as it encourages each partner to attune to the experience of the other. Moreover, recent research indicates that synchronizing movements with another person promotes neural alignment, which can be both personally enriching and socially rewarding.
Circle formation is one of the most common techniques in dance movement therapy. In this technique, participants sit or stand in a circle creating a space for exploration and connection. Each individual takes a turn leading the group in a movement or gesture, helping everyone get their bodies moving and engaged.
Creative energy flows freely as participants pass it from one person to the next. Each person adds their unique touch, performing a movement or gesture that builds on what came before.
This circle not only brings a sense of togetherness but also sparks creativity and play. It encourages everyone to co-create, building a shared experience that fosters connection and joy.
In movement journeys, individuals are given a chance to reflect on personal change or growth, whether it is something they have experienced or hope to experience.
In this process, participants focus on three key moments or places along their journey. These are marked as place A, place B, and place C, and each one is represented by a still gesture or pose. Individuals are then encouraged to choreograph the movements that connect these moments, showing how they moved or will move from one place to the next. For example, an individual might create a journey that moves from feeling lost to finding stability, and then towards a sense of hope. Alternatively, it could reflect a more concrete event, like a career change or moving to a new home. These movements can either remain personal or be shared with the group.
This kind of dance movement therapy provides space for individuals to explore and process changes in a supportive setting. It also allows them to connect with their aspirations for the future, while also recognizing their past successes and personal growth.
To incorporate dance movement therapy into your program, you can start by introducing a few simple activities that align with its core techniques. Gradually, you can expand on these techniques to explore deeper aspects of healing and personal growth through movement.
In this activity, you invite individuals to choose a character from a story, movie, or book—anything that sparks their imagination, whether it is a superhero, villain, or favorite cartoon figure.
You then ask the individuals to express the character they have chosen through dance and movement, fully stepping into the role. As they move, you guide them, encouraging them to explore the feelings and stories that come with being that character. This allows them to connect deeply with different emotions and experiences playfully and creatively.
This activity involves individuals forming a circle and dancing together to a song’s rhythm or beat. The goal is to help everyone feel connected and work together.
As they dance, you encourage them to pay attention to both their movements and those of the people around them. After a while, you ask them to sync their movements, creating a sense of unity and togetherness. This helps them to shift focus from individual movement, promoting a shared experience and stronger connection within the group.
In this type of activity, individuals pair up and walk together, each wearing headphones and listening to their piece of music or sounds. You choose the music based on a specific theme or mood like calm nature sounds or lively, upbeat tracks.
As they walk, the goal for each pair is to match their steps with the rhythm of the music, syncing their movements with each other. You encourage them to be mindful of how their bodies feel as they walk, paying attention to their movements and sensations. This helps them stay connected with their partner, focusing on the shared experience and harmony in their movements.
Dance schools play a pivotal role in offering dance therapy programs. With the right facilities, knowledge, and experience, they can integrate therapeutic dance practices into their curriculum. Schools can offer specialized dance therapy programs designed for different age groups or needs such as:
Programs focused on helping young individuals navigate emotions, increase self-esteem, and enhance motor development through expressive movement.
Offering classes that combine stress-relief exercises, expressive movement, and techniques to improve emotional well-being.
Classes tailored to seniors to support physical movement, reduce isolation, and improve cognitive health through dance and movement.
If you are a dance school interested in expanding your offerings and incorporating dance therapy into your curriculum, Classcard can be an invaluable tool to help you manage this transition. With its robust features for scheduling, registration, and payment, Classcard makes it easier to integrate therapeutic dance programs and ensures a smooth, professional experience for both individuals and instructors.
By adopting dance therapy programs, your school not only opens the door to a broader client base but also contributes to the overall well-being of your community. Whether you are offering classes for children, adults, or seniors, integrating dance therapy programs into your offerings provides individuals with a transformative experience—one that nurtures mind, body, and spirit.