Associate Members List
This page lists members who have achieved Associate Membership status of the DTAA. This level of membership includes two types of professionals: the first have some dance movement therapy training and are on the pathway to becoming a Provisional or Professional Member; and the others are professionals with related training and are interested in the use of therapeutic dance in their work. The Association does not recognise members at this level as ‘dance movement therapists’. Titles like ‘therapeutic dance specialist’ are recommended instead. For a listing of members at other levels, please go to our Professional Members and Provisional Professional page. For information about becoming an Associate Member, please go to our membership page. Associate Members: to have your details on this list added or amended, please contact the DTAA.
Vic | NSW | Qld | WA | NT | SA | International
Victoria
Ben Assan
Melbourne metropolitan area
Bachelor Child and Adolescent Psych Nursing, Grad Dip Movement Dance, Post Grad Dip Family Therapy, Adv Cert Couple Therapy, DTAA (Associate), originally from Ghana, is a child and family therapist at the Austin Hospital. Ben has experience in community residential and forensic mental health and has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Australian Journal of Psychiatry. Email: Ben.Assan@austin.org.au
Chafia Brooks
Melbourne, Central and Northern Suburbs
BFA – Dance Queensland University of Technology, focusing on contemporary dance. Dip Dance Movement Therapy, Phoenix Institute, DTAA (Associate)
Chafia has experience as a trained dancer, choreographer and movement awareness coach working in the performing arts industry for over 10 years. She works predominantly with youth, performing artists, and individuals interested in self care through creative exploration. She offers private or group sessions and has experience working with The Commission for Children and Young People, Headspace, YAMEC NMIT, Early Learning Centre Melbourne Uni as well as other arts organisations. Tel: 0427030151 / Email: chafiabrooks@gmail.com
Lee Frances
Masters Applied Science (Occupational Therapy)/accessible performing arts teacher, DTAA (Associate)
Lee runs Spring into Action in association with a professional dance teacher and an early Intervention Teacher. Current groups include Parent-Child Dance and play group for preschool children who have special needs, an inclusive Dance and Create group for adolescents, Boyz Drama groups for boys who have Asperger Syndrome or similar, creative ballet for primary school age and Discover Dance for pre-schoolers. Also, creative dance classes at special schools using the Sports Commission Active Afterschool Community funding. Tel: 0437 194 238 0437 194 238 / Email: leefrances@bigpond.com
Website: www.springintoaction.com.au or www.dance-and-therapy-melbourne.blogspot.com
Hannah Friebel
Melbourne, Bayside, South Eastern suburbs
Hannah is a Dance and Health Practitioner graduating from a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Dance) in 2019. Beyond her involvement in further psychological studies and research, Hannah maintains a strong contemporary dance and choreographic practice, and currently works alongside individuals who have suffered from mental illness to create art about their experiences. This line of work is contributing towards a multimodal art exhibition – Sincerely, Survivor – for showing on World Mental Health Day 2020. She is also currently creating a documentary about mental health in the dance industry, Mind Dance, across both Australia and the UK. Hannah has taught dance with therapeutic outcomes in a variety of settings, including but not limited to children with autism, adults with mental health challenges and elderly with Parkinson’s. In 2018 she helped co-create a series of workshops around dance, movement and creativity for young people in mental health recovery at Headspace Discovery College, and contributed research to the NDIS funded AllPlay Dance project, making dance more accessible to children with disabilities. Hannah is currently launching a dance organisation, Grace Dance Co, that creates art within the context of faith, community development and social justice – and has an emerging sector that engages dance trained therapeutic practitioners within the Dance for Health space. Please don’t hesitate to contact her with any enquiries.
Email: hannah.friebel@gmail.com Website: www.gracedanceco.com Socials: @sincerely_survivor
Ana Irene Gioino-Blythman
Surrey Hills, Victoria
Graduate Diploma in Visual and Performing Arts, RMIT (DMT), DTAA (Associate) Areas of specialist expertise: Group work: mothers and babies / mental health.
Tel: 03 9849 1287 / Email: agioino@gmail.com
Website:www.danzatherapy.com
Jessica Lesosky
Surf Coast Region and Geelong Region
Grad.Dip Vis and Perf Arts( Dance/Movement Therapy) RMIT, DTAA (Associate)
Working with young people and community. Group work with adolescent girls using movement/improvisation and drama. Sharing stories surrounding body image and body awareness. Mobile: 0421 519 743 / Email: jesslesosky@yahoo.com.au
Tiana Lentini
Area: South Eastern Suburbs
ISMETA , DTAA (Associate) Graduate and Associate Teacher Tamalpa Institute, Anna Halprin Practitioner, Somatic Movement Practitioner. She now teaches various mediums of movement explorations for those who seek authenticity in their personal and professional lives by meeting themselves on the Life/Art Bridge. A guest teacher at Glenallen SDS (Special Development School), Melbourne, Tiana works with transitional teenagers moving out into day care centres; facilitates a MIF (Moving Into Facilitation) program from her Monash Studio in ongoing workshops for dance and creative therapists working towards personal and professional fulfilment.
Areas of expertise: Women`s issues for thematic explorations, depression, Autism/Aspergers Spectrum; couples, Individual and group sessions.
Phone: 03 9574 9016 / Mobile: 0421 045 438 / Email: tianamoves@optusnet.com.au Website: www.monashstudio.com.au and www.tamalpa.org
Sally Low
Western suburbs Melbourne. Salamander Centre for Feldenkrais and Creative Dance
B.App. Sci (Phty), Grad. Dip. Mvt and Dance, Grad Dip Rec, Cert. Feldenkrais Practitioner, DTAA (Associate)
Individual and groups utilising combined skills of physiotherapy, Feldenkrais and Creative Dance.
Areas special interest: children with developmental delay or recovering from illness or injury; chronic pain management; women’s health issues; creative expressive dance classes open to all ages. Tel: 03 9391 1036 / Mobile: 0405 170 090
Fiona Martin
Inner City Melbourne
Graduate Diploma in Movement and Dance (therapy) 1998-1999, DTAA (Associate)
Tel: 0422 514 884 / Email: fionamartin@aapt.net.au
Tony Norquay
Cowes, Phillip Island, Victoria
Qualifications: MA, Grad Dip Movement/Dance, Grad Cert DMT, Dip DMT (IDTIA), Grad Dip Social Communication. Specialist areas: Psychiatry/normal, ‘Soul Dance’, Aged Care, DTAA (Associate) Tony has conducted classes and workshops in dance movement for personal growth and creative expression since 1978. Tony has worked as a dance movement specialist within the therapeutic team in psychiatric settings and continues to be involved with the IDTIA dance therapy training program. He currently conducts classes for personal well-being and therapeutic programs for residents in aged care. His particular interest in the dance movement work is to encourage people to find the eloquent, creative and nourishing dance that lies within and to bring it into full being – supporting quality of life and continued physical capacity.
Tel: 03 5952 5987 / Mobile: 0418 134 709 / Email: norquaytd@ihug.com.au
Meagan Otu
Northern suburbs
Meagan has a BA Creative Dance & Anthropology, Dip Dance Movement Therapy, Dip Kinesiology, Reiki3a, and is a certified HypnoBirthing Practitioner. Meagan has a background in traditional West African dance. She currently assists in therapeutic Creative dance for Mothers and babies, and teaches Creative dance within an Early Learning Centre. Meagan has previous experience providing therapeutic dance programs in specialist schools for children with Autism and workshops for community groups to support an embodied integration of body, mind, spirit & psych for well-being. Meagan additionally works in private practice with people experiencing the negative effects of emotional overwhelm, stress and anxiety and teaches the Mongan Method of Hypnobirthing to support parents for a gentle, calm, positive birth experience.
Mob: 0468 968 195 / Email: enlivenedheart@gmail.com
Anjali Sengupta
Ormond, Melbourne
Qualifications: Dip Transpersonal Art Therapy, Grad Dip DMT, B.Sc. (Life Sciences), Post Grad Dip Sports and Fitness Science, Associate Member DTAA, Member IICT, DTAA (Associate) Creative psychotherapy for individual and groups, expressive dance, performances and corporate events.
Areas of interest and/or experience: expressive arts, guided imagery and emotion focussed therapy for depression, anxiety and other mental health issues, eating disorders, body image issues, lack of self esteem, physical/ mental/ emotional blocks, trauma, abuse, migration/ cultural issues, loss of meaning, life transitions, lack of motivation, inability to live a full and meaningful life. Telephone: 0401 334 738 / Email: info@embracingspirit.net Website: www.embracingspirit.net/bollywood-fusion
Cathy Williams
Eastern suburbs, Melbourne
Certificate in Somatics, Performance & The Creative Process, Tamalapa; Certificate in Expressive Therapies, Expressive Therapies Institute of Australia; Masters of Social Science, RMIT, DTAA (Associate) Cathy Williams is a Community Development & Youth worker who specialises in Movement & Expressive Therapies. She runs workshops for women; programs for youth and newly arrived refugee children in primary schools; and is contracted to facilitate various programs with disadvantaged youth including survivors of sexual assault. Tel: 0423 730 031 /Email: cathy@intuitiveself.com.au Website: www.intuitiveself.com.au
Lisa Yau
Melbourne, southern and eastern suburbs
Bachelor of Veterinary Science (University of Melbourne), Cert DMT (IDTIA), DTAA (Associate)
Currently running therapeutic dance group with adults with intellectual disability. Recovery support groups with people with an eating disorder at a non-profit organisation.Latin and Ballroom dance classes also held regularly. Tel: 0412 928 367 / Email: lisayau06@gmail.com
NSW
Liz Kerley
Byron Bay, NSW
Grad Dip Movement and Dance Therapy, Melbourne University, DTAA (Associate)
Area of specialist expertise: creative arts therapy, counselling, Biofeedback Energy Integration, yoga therapy Mobile: 0420 334824 / Email: pyjamalamas@gmail.com
Website: www.templebyron.com
Elise McCallum
Kariong, NSW and NSW, Central Coast
Cert. DMT (IDTIA); Dip. Transpersonal Art Therapy, Dip Transpersonal Counselling (IKON); Dip. Mask and Traditional Healing; Dancing for Birth™; Nia, DTAA (Associate) Elise has many years experience working with children with additional needs in an educational setting and in the development of long term creative dance programs in local primary schools. She is currently offering ‘Deeply Moved’ movement meditations for women, focusing on embodiment, self-discovery and wellbeing.
Mob. 0451118054 / Email:deeplymovedwomen@gmail.com
Sharon Searle
The Shire, Sydney
B. Counselling, Grad. Dip. Dance Movement Therapy, DTAA (Associate)
Tel: 0421 766 709 / Email: healingtreecounselling@gmail.com
Virginia Sada York
Central Tilba, South Coast, Sydney
Qualifications: Advanced Clinical DMT, Graduate Diploma level (IDTIA), Bachelor of Arts, Diploma of Education (Macquarie University), Leaders” Circle teacher of InterPlay (improvisation programs), DTAA (Associate level).
Experience: Virginia runs group sessions with aged populations and carers of mental health consumers. She also facilitates improvisational movement sessions for adult populations based on ecstatic dance practices, InterPlay and moving meditations. Mobile: 0419 200 737/ Email: virginiasadayork@gmail.com
Maggie Young
Newcastle, Taree, Mid North Coast NSW, Kempsey and Port Macquarie areas
Cert. Dance Movement Therapy, M.A. Theatre, Cert. Alexander Technique, Teachers Cert. Primary, Secondary Schools, DTAA (Associate)
Specialises in special needs population; Dance/Drama workshops. 7 years at Stockton Centre for special needs population in Newcastle.
Maggie can offer placement or work experience for students. Mob: 0456 614 148 / Email simplymove@live.com.au
Queensland
Vanessa Jane Van der Werff
Greater Brisbane area, Sunshine Coast, Lockyer Valley, Ipswich
Grad Cert DMT (IDTIA), Masters in Social Work (UQ)Certified Pilates & Zumba instructor. Completed RAD ballet Intermediate & ISTD contemporary dance Advanced
Graduate of RAW Dance Company, Completed Dance for PD (Parkinsons) training, DTAA (Associate)
Vanessa has over 30 years experience in dance, performance, choreography, creative expression and meditative practices and brings this to her business (http://vjane.com.au). Experienced with mental health, disadvantaged youth, and both physical and intellectual disabilities, Vanessa also has extensive experience working with indigenous and other cultures, elderly people, eating disorders, survivors of Parkinson’s and palliative care. Tel: 0404 051 513
Email:vanessa@vjane.com.au
Jeff Withers
Birkdale, QLD
B.Sc. (App. Psych), B. Ed; Grad Cert. NLP; Dip. Man. Dip. HRM, Dip. Proj Man, Dip. Mark’g, Dip. Teach; Cert. IV Bus, Cert. IV SBM, Cert. IV TAE; MABNLP(MP); DTAA (Associate). Jeff has an extensive background in communication and engagement coaching and consulting within the corporate, small business and private environments. His focus is working with individuals, teenagers, couples, and (corporate) teams seeking to enhance and grow their relationship performance towards identified outcomes. In so doing, he draws upon his own unique personal and professional development platform in conjunction with ballroom dancing to create difference for those he engages with. Mob: 0409063239 / Email: jeff@dymanicreengagement.com.au
Western Australia
Northern Territory
Margaret Petherick
Northern Territory
DipTech (OccTh), BAppSc (OT), MSc (Phc) Master’s Thesis: Dance, Meaning and Mental Health Promotion, DTAA (Associate)
Experienced with: Aged care, Mental health, Health promotion, Exploration of creativity and spirituality.
Tel: 08 8951 5158 / Email: Margaret.petherick@bigpond.com
South Australia
Judith Adcock
Adelaide metropolitan region, South Australia
Bach. App.Sc. Occupational Therapy; Grad. Dip. Counselling Social Science. Cert. DMT IDTIA Advanced Dip DMT, DTAA (Associate)
Experience in high and low level dementia care units and with intellectual disability. Groups running for both frail elderly and intellectual disability. Experience with adult with eating addictions. Experience in working with children with developmental delay. Tel: 0450 443 040 / Email: jadcoc4@yahoo.com.au