Disconnecting from the "Dancer" Identity: Dance/Movement Therapy in Support of Maintaining the Sense of Self in Professional Dance
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Authors
Ross, Sandra
Issue Date
2021-05-01
Type
thesis_open
Language
Keywords
dance/movement therapy , identity , professional dancer , body image , therapeutic environment , Dance
Dance Movement Therapy
Alternative Title
Dance/Movement Therapy Theses
Abstract
The culture of the professional dance environment perpetuates an ideal image of the dancer identity. In the pursuit of this ideal, dancers struggle with integrating their own personal identity, creating internal conflict that potentially underlies dance related mental health issues. Dance/movement therapy offers a different therapeutic environment that promotes self-awareness, acceptance, and trust within the body to establish a connection with a deeper sense of self. An examination of the research and documentation of the utilization of dance/movement therapy with dancers suggest it could be beneficial to the issues they face, including maintaining their own sense of identity. This discussion is important to destigmatizing mental health issues in the professional dance world and, more importantly, offers therapeutic treatment suited to the language of dancers, dance.
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