Dance Therapy Today: An Overview of the Profession and Its Practice Around the World

Article Information

Creative Arts Educ Ther (2021) 7(2):158–186 DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2021/7/13

Dance Therapy Today: An Overview of the Profession and Its Practice Around the World

Abstract

Humans have used dance as a healing art since the beginning of human history, but dance therapy has only begun to be recognized as a formal profession since the mid-1940s. At that time, dancers living in the USA began using dance as a therapeutic medium in health-care settings. Since then, the field has expanded across the world, with dance therapists now practicing in most countries. Professional associations have been established, training courses set up, and processes for registering therapists with government authorities implemented. This article provides an international overview of these developments. Detailed information about progress and challenges in the advancement of the dance therapy profession is offered across six world regions. Progress includes expansion of geographic range to countries where no formal training or networks exist, including many developing nations. Barriers to progress include lack of university-based accredited training and low numbers of professionals, making the establishment of a critical mass of practitioners difficult. Suggestions for future development of the profession internationally are made.

Keywords: dance therapy, dance movement therapy (DMT), professional practice, training, registration

摘要

自人类历史开始以来, 人类就将舞蹈作为一种疗愈的艺术。但自 1940 年代中期以来, 舞蹈治疗才开始被认为是一种正式的职业。当时, 在美国的舞者开始在临床医疗环境中 使用舞蹈作为治疗媒介。从那时起, 该领域已经扩展到世界各地, 现在大多数国家都有 舞蹈治疗师在执业, 成立了专业协会, 开设了培训课程, 并实施了向政府当局注册治疗 师的程序。本文提供了这些发展的全球概述, 特别是在世界六个地区有关舞蹈治疗行业 发展和挑战的详情, 以及如何将地理范围扩大到没有正式专业培训或资源的国家, 包括 许多发展中国家。文章指出行业进步的主要障碍包括缺乏以大学为基础的学历教育和专 业人员数量限制, 使得难以建立足够的从业人员数量。对该行业在国际上的未来发展文 章提出了相关建议。

关键词： 舞蹈治疗, 舞蹈动作治疗, 专业实践, 培训, 注册