Dance and movement therapy

Since human prehistory, dance has been used for therapeutic purposes, and on that basis, dance and movement therapy was conceived, which over time developed into a distinct (psycho) therapeutic approach. Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT), sometimes abbreviated as "dance therapy," developed in the 1940s in the USA and reached Europe in the 1970s. Dance therapy is a body-oriented therapy based on the use of dance and movement as a creative process, with the goal of integrating the emotional, cognitive, social, and physical characteristics of each individual, that is, connecting body, mind, and spirit. This type of therapy includes the therapeutic use of movement and psychomotor expression as the main means of analysis and intervention. In addition to focusing on the way of moving and body posture, importance is also given to other nonverbal signs such as breathing, gestures, facial expressions, muscle tone, rhythm of movement, use of space, etc. Dance and movement therapy has proven to be extremely useful for different groups of people and is intended for all ages. This therapy can be performed individually, in pairs, or in groups. Through analysis, we come to the conclusion that this special form of therapy purposefully uses movement and dance for healing and health improvement, and it affects general cognitive functioning, especially memory, enhances nonverbal communication skills, and reduces stress levels, as well as influencing affective processes in people. Spontaneous movement improvisation enables clients to try new ways of being and to experience.