What is Dance Movement Therapy?
Dance Movement Therapy (DMT), also known as Dance/Movement Therapy in the United States, is a clinical and evidence-based psychotherapeutic discipline that uses movement and dance as a primary tool for assessment and intervention. Rooted in the understanding that body and mind are interconnected, DMT practitioners work with clients to explore the relationship between movement patterns and emotional states, facilitate emotional expression, and promote psychological integration. Unlike recreational dance or somatic practices focused solely on wellness, DMT is conducted by credentialed therapists trained in both dance/movement and psychotherapeutic theory, and is used to treat clinical populations including individuals with trauma, eating disorders, autism spectrum disorders, dementia, and mood disorders.
Origins & Lineage
Dance Movement Therapy emerged in the United States during the 1940s and 1950s, pioneered by professional dancers who observed the therapeutic potential of movement work. Marian Chace (1896-1970), often called the “grand dame” of dance therapy, began working with psychiatric patients at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C. in 1942, using dance circles and mirroring techniques to reach non-verbal patients. Concurrently, Mary Starks Whitehouse developed “movement in depth” (later known as Authentic Movement) in Los Angeles, integrating Jungian psychology with improvisational movement. Trudi Schoop, a Swiss dancer and mime, worked with patients at psychiatric hospitals in California beginning in the 1940s, using expressive movement and humor. Liljan Espenak, a Norwegian dancer, developed her approach in New York psychiatric settings in the 1950s, emphasizing the role of movement in personality development.
The American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) was founded in 1966 to establish professional standards, ethical guidelines, and credentialing processes. The practice has since spread globally, with professional organizations established in the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Academic programs emerged in the 1970s, initially at institutions such as Columbia College Chicago, Antioch University, and Pratt Institute.
How It’s Practiced
A Dance Movement Therapy session typically occurs in a private or group setting with a credentialed therapist (registered as BC-DMT, board certified, or R-DMT, registered). Sessions may begin with a verbal check-in, followed by a warm-up phase where clients explore spontaneous movement or respond to prompts. The therapist observes movement qualities—such as use of space, rhythm, flow, tension, and body parts engaged—as diagnostic information about the client’s internal state.
Core techniques include mirroring (therapist reflects client’s movements to build rapport), movement amplification (exaggerating a gesture to access underlying emotion), grounding exercises, and improvisational movement. The therapist may introduce props, music, or guided imagery, though silence is equally common. Unlike dance classes, there is no prescribed choreography, correct form, or performance expectation. The therapeutic relationship and the client’s subjective movement experience are central.
Sessions conclude with verbal processing, where clients articulate insights or emotions that emerged. Treatment plans are individualized and may span weeks to years depending on clinical goals. Documentation follows psychotherapeutic standards, including treatment goals, progress notes, and outcome measures.
Dance Movement Therapy Today
Dance Movement Therapy is practiced in psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, nursing homes, private practices, and community mental health agencies. It is recognized as a mental health profession by the U.S. Department of Labor and is included in some insurance reimbursement frameworks, though coverage varies widely. Graduate-level training programs exist at institutions including Drexel University, Lesley University, Naropa University, and Sarah Lawrence College.
Research into DMT’s efficacy has expanded since 2000, with studies published in journals such as The Arts in Psychotherapy and Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy. Evidence supports its use for trauma recovery, reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms, and improvement in body image and self-esteem, though methodological rigor and sample sizes vary.
Many seekers encounter DMT through referrals from psychotherapists, physicians, or trauma specialists. Some practitioners offer open movement groups or workshops that blend therapeutic principles with community wellness, though these differ from formal clinical treatment.
Common Misconceptions
Dance Movement Therapy is not recreational dance, Zumba, ecstatic dance, or 5Rhythms practice, though these may have wellness benefits. It is a credentialed mental health profession requiring a master’s degree and supervised clinical hours. DMT is not “alternative medicine” or adjunct to psychotherapy; it is psychotherapy, with movement as the primary modality.
DMT does not require dance training, physical fitness, or ability to perform choreography. Clients of all ages, body types, and mobility levels participate, including those in wheelchairs or with limited movement capacity. The therapeutic value lies in awareness and expression, not aesthetics.
While DMT integrates body-based awareness similar to somatic experiencing or sensorimotor psychotherapy, it is distinct in its use of creative, expressive movement as the primary language of therapy rather than verbal processing supplemented by body awareness.
How to Begin
Those interested in receiving Dance Movement Therapy can search the American Dance Therapy Association’s therapist directory at adta.org or contact local mental health agencies to inquire about movement-based therapists. Initial consultations typically clarify whether DMT is appropriate for specific therapeutic goals.
For those exploring the field professionally, foundational texts include Foundations of Dance/Movement Therapy: The Life and Work of Marian Chace edited by Harris Chaiklin and Dance/Movement Therapists in Action by Robyn Flaum Cruz and Cynthia Berrol. Observing or participating in an introductory workshop, often offered at holistic health centers or through ADTA regional chapters, provides experiential introduction.
Accredited graduate programs require an undergraduate degree (often in dance, psychology, or related fields), though specific prerequisites vary by institution. The path to registration as a dance/movement therapist includes completing a master’s program, 700 supervised clinical internship hours, and meeting ADTA’s professional competencies.