THE HEALING PROPERTIES OF DANCE

Dance is the most ancient way of expressing human emotions.

The ancient tribes danced to summon spirits, to cause rain and to prepare the ground for hunting. Today, dance is also used as a method of psychotherapy. “Dance therapy”, as it is termed, is a creative psychotherapy. Its medium is movement, that is, expression through the body, dance and movement. Its purpose is to offer the individual a safe psychotherapeutic framework where he can explore himself and his relationships with others on a physical, emotional and spiritual level. Dance therapy is based on the principle that the way we move and express ourselves nonverbally manifests the way we relate to ourselves and others. Today’s “dance therapy” studies show that dance in any form has numerous therapeutic applications.

Read on for some of them:

• By dancing we become aware of our body and how it relates to others.
• It activates spontaneity and confidence in ourselves. It is particularly healing for people with a shy character, since it implies an alternative way of communication.
• It is a way to relieve tensions, both physical and mental.
• It helps us know our emotions by translating them into movements in space.
• It actively contributes to the prevention of everyone’s health as it is the best aerobic physical exercise. Treatment through dance has been shown to have a particularly beneficial effect on patients.
• As a form of therapy, the ultimate goal of dance therapy is to find a healthy balance and a sense of wholeness.