How to become a Dance Therapist

Dance therapy is the therapeutic use of the physical movement in dance to strengthen body, mind, and soul processes to treat emotional, psychological and physical complaints. It concentrates on the significance of the relationship between emotion and movement. Thus, Dance Therapy is also known as Dance and Movement Psychotherapy, which uses movement and dance as a tool of expression.

• Observe and understand non-verbal behaviour, body language, gestures, and physical movement to evaluate behavioural, mental, or emotional state of client
• Provide group or individual therapy sessions
• Decide movement and dance routines for the sessions based on the client’s needs
• Assist clients conquer physical, personal and emotional difficulties through dance
• Establish a safe space to promote expression, acknowledgement, and communication of in which feelings and emotions
• Interact with clients about personal conflict
• Collect information from clients, medical records, and caregivers to assess their issues, capabilities, and needs
• Select or creating appropriate music and props for dance sessions
• Motivate clients to communicate with others, using role play, mirroring exercises, etc.
• Draft client’s reports and share significant information with client and caregivers
• Attend or provide clinical supervision dance sessions
• Collaborate with or provide referrals to interdisciplinary colleagues
• Work on improving client’s self-esteem, self-awareness, insights, and body image
• Develop and provide coping strategies
• Teach how to stand and move properly to prevent injuries.

Dance Therapist must have the same credentials as a mental health professional. In addition, they must possess the knowledge of psychology, anatomy and physiology. They should be emphatic, non-judgemental, and should have active-listening skills.

They must have self-discipline, spatial orientation, physical stamina, and physical dexterity so that they can move their bodies without falling or losing their sense of rhythm. One also needs a good memory to recall dance and movement routines and techniques.

At the same time, they also need artistic ability, originality, imaginative, innovative ideas, and creativity to express ideas through new and interesting dance routines. They must show dedication, eye for detail, determination, patience, persistence to commit to years of intense practice.

Apart from high level of dancing ability, you also need good teaching, leadership, team management, interpersonal and communication skills, especially in oral expression and have fluency of ideas.