Expressive Body in Life, Art & Therapy
Halprin, Daria. (2002)
The whole idea of the benefits of dance came from a few
places. First was my gaol to do something more with the skills that I have from
training in dance, wanting to continue with working with learning disability
and the knowledge that creative therapies and that dance movement therapy is
used to benefit a wide range of abilities. For this reason I thought that I
should do some literature research on dance movement therapies.
The Book “The Expressive body in life art and therapy” looks
at the history of the expressive art therapy and the healing power that the
process might have. The history of art therapy is not of the greatest relevance
to me, however I do think that it is important to point out that the book
starts its dance section discussing the historical relevance of dance and how
it has been used through time as a form of spiritual connection, expression and
integration,
“In tribal cultures,
dance has provided a means for establishing and conveying relationships between
the mundane, and the spiritual, for integrating the individual and the
community” (p60)
It talks of early modern dance and the idea of the “freely
dancing body” that was pioneered by such dancers as Graham, Duncan and St
Denis. And this idea that dance could be used to evoke an emotional and
challenging reaction in the audience.
This
is all important in the beginning of dance therapy as dancer explored how
movement could facilitate change in society, reveal emotion and the unconscious
and interpret behaviour. I see that this shows the potential for dance to
become another form of communication, this book then relates to my enquiry idea
that dance can have benefit for learning disability because if dance can be
used in the way that the pioneers in creative movement thought then it can help
those with limited verbal communication to express themselves.
The
Dance chapter in the book then goes on to talk of Laban, H’Doubler, Todd and
Barnieffe developed an art/science approach looking at the relationship between
structural, function and emotive movement. They began to look at dance as a
learning process through which the dancer could understand themselves and the
world. Labans movement framework is still used in modern dance movement
therapy.
Early
in the 20th century the dance therapy really began to develop and
practitioners moved their work into hospitals settings. The ideas behind it
became more defined
“dance/movement therapy posits that movement reflects
emotional states and can lead to psychological
insight and behavioural
changes”
Blanche
Evan went on to identify what she called the capacities of movement: “functional
change (including postural work, coordination, organization of body parts, and rhythmics)
and improvisation-enactment by which the individual is able
to
experience the “physical equivalent of the psyche in the body through
action.”
(p63)
In
1999 Mary Starks Whitehouse, worked with high functioning adults she explained
the idea behind movement therapy as
“the body is the personality on the physical level
and movement is the personality made visible”
Kinaesthetic
awareness is the foundation of her approach, she believed that all stylistic
characteristic would have to be sacrificed and that working would have to be
very introverted in order the express inner emotion and connect that expression
to subjective response.
Trudi
Schoop went on to develop Whitehouse’s work. She used her stage skill of mime
to encourage her clients to express dramatised versions of their personal
character like a cast in a play as a way of freeing up repressed emotions. She
worked with Clients with a great sense of humour and personality to create an
atmosphere of safe play.
In
the chapter on dance it is explained quite nicely with this paragraph and I
think is useful in beginning to understand the foundation for Dance Movement
therapy.
“Movement -based expressive arts therapy works quite
actively
to bring “inner” sensation, feeling, and image into
“outer” action by
employing the full range of the creative arts:
movement/dance, drama,
voice, painting, poetry and other forms of writing,
ritual, and performance.”
In a
therapy session these movements and expressions are then analysed by the
therapist to create meaning and interpret the inner reasons behind the outward
action. This is then discussed with the client and worked on further to bring
about changes in behaviour and emotion.
There
is a chapter of the book dedicated to case studies. At the beginning of the
movement case study there is this quote
“in the entrance the client leaves the troubles logic
of everyday life and enters the logic of imagination…
Creativity is sometimes explained as an ability that
allows people to discover a new solution to an old problem.”
Paolo Knill (2000)
The case study
was two Individuals working in a pair and experimenting with boundaries.
Reactions to eye contact and the comfort of physically created boundaries
uncovered a miscommunication of anger through a scowl which was in fact
nervousness and a need to protect self with physical boundary. This was
discovered to be a defensive state, a reaction to physical abuse.
The abusive
relationship was then explored through dance and movement. The exploration of
body movement connected to the scowl and the feeling behind this. Expressed
feelings of sadness and outrange through dance. The client danced as if she
were the younger version of herself, the therapist created the safety and
comfort that the abuser should have provided and encouraged the expression of
letting go.
This process was
over an extended time period more than is explained here. The study then goes
on to explain in depth the communication that occurred between client and
therapist. It is an incredibly interesting read and shows how the emotional affects
the physical posture and communication and how the physical movement is used to
deal with these issues tied up in the emotion.
I found this
literature on dance therapy really interesting. It explains clearly the
relationship between the emotional and the physical and its east to identify as
scowl or tense shoulders, hunched posture that we experience within ourselves.
The use of dance to explore I think can only be valuable and is shown to be by
the case studies provided in the book.
To relate to my
enquiry I think that exploration of emotions and feelings is something that can
be explored in dance classes with learning disabilities, providing the theme
could be communicated clearly and simply. The opportunity to express emotion
and themselves without a right or a wrong would have its basis in free dance
and could be useful for non verbal individuals to have a means of expression
and communication, additionally be in integrated into a social group that is
using the same means of communication could potentially be beneficial for
feelings of inclusion.
Deep personal and
emotional issues would not be able to be discussed or explored in a general dance
class, and someone without DMT training would not be qualified to do this. But
the potential for expression, communication and a “safe play” environment may
be benefit it itself.
References.
Halprin, Daria. (2002) Expressive Body in Life, Art
& Therapy
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
eBook. Retrieved [07/12/12] from
eBook. Retrieved [07/12/12] from
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