National Dance/Movement Therapy Advocacy Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

National Dance/Movement Therapy Advocacy Day is observed annually on June 13 to increase public awareness of the new and innovative form of psychotherapy known as dance/movement therapy that is creating waves around the globe. It addresses mental health by focusing on the body, movement, and dance as natural forms of expression that promote physical and mental restoration. Moreover, it is a holistic therapy based on the belief that the mind, body, and spirit are interconnected, and that physical changes reflect mental changes and vice versa. Numerous individuals around the world have benefited from this therapy, and many more are beginning to practise it every day!

The background of National Dance/Movement Therapy Advocacy Day

Dance/movement therapy (D.M.T.) arose as a field in the 1940s, when early innovators, many of whom were accomplished dancers, recognised the numerous psychotherapeutic benefits of using dance and movement.

The American Dance Therapy Association (A.D.T.A.) defines dance therapy as “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.” Former dance educator and performer Marian Chace is credited with the concept of dance as therapy; she transferred her focus from dance techniques and education to her students’ individual movement communications and expressions.

After World War II, she was invited to work at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., where she was entrusted with assisting patients who were reclusive, unresponsive, and mute. She also worked with numerous veterans of conflict. As a result of her success in communicating with nonverbal patients, her reputation for using dance as a means of communication and expression grew. By playing music, interacting with patients by mimicking their movements, establishing eye contact, engaging in physical contact, and waltzing to the rhythmic steps, she was able to break down their barriers through the power of movement, physical interaction, and dance.

As corroborating evidence continues to accumulate, a growing number of therapists around the world are recommending this form of therapy. It is common to locate numerous locations offering D.M.T. courses today.

Later, in 2019, Erica Hornthal established National Dance/Movement Therapy Advocacy Day to raise awareness about this form of psychotherapy and enable more people to benefit from it.

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NATIONAL DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPY ADVOCACY DAY ACTIVITIES

Attend the Summit of Dance Therapy Advocates.

Attend the summit, which occurs annually in June. Practitioners and those interested in the field who wish to form a network within it are welcome at the summit.

Float vanish

Put on some music and enjoy a night of dancing in the convenience of your home! Dancing, movement, and any form of physical activity can significantly improve one’s mental state.

Get involved

Enrol in a D.M.T. course near you and learn from experts how to do it. D.M.T. classes are open to everyone and can benefit your physical and mental health even if you are not afflicted.

5 FACTS ABOUT DANCING THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

Dancing has been shown to assist with stress, anxiety, communication difficulties, aggression, post-traumatic stress disorder, familial conflicts, and disordered eating.

Dancers are typically more self-confident and have a more optimistic outlook on life.

In ancient Greece, dance was considered a divine gift because its two primary characteristics, order and cadence, were considered divine.

D.M.T. is effective for treating chronic pain, paediatric obesity, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, and dementia.

Dancing increases our serotonin and dopamine levels, making us instantaneously feel good.

NATIONAL DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPY ADVOCACY DAY DATES