Editorial
Author/s: Jane Guthrie, Naomi Aitchison
In this volume
2006 Vol. 5 Nos. 3-4
Vive La Difference: Creating Relationship Through Dance And Movement
Author/s: Heather Hill
Keywords
intergenerational, group process, rituals, relationships, creativity, community development
This article is from a presentation made by Heather at the International Consortium of Intergenerational Programs (ICIP) Conference, in Melbourne from 26th-28th June 2006. A nine-week program was facilitated by DMT Heather with support staff bringing together twelve older adults at the local day centre for frail elderly, and eight grade one children from the local state primary school. The program is vividly described with reflections and vignettes from the sessions exemplifying the meaningfulness of the program for the adults and children. Connections with similar programs are outlined as an outcome from attending the ICIP Conference. (pp 2-5)
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Taking Heart – an opportunity for Dance/Movement Therapy?
Author/s: Robyn Price
Keywords
medical humanities, professional development, professional self-care, medical DMT
“In November 2004, the Association for Medical Humanities (Australia/New Zealand) was created to promote the medical humanities in education, healthcare and research. Its aim is to facilitate communication between the many disciplines that are concerned with the human experience of health and illness.” Robyn gained an opportunity to articulate the DMT profession and explore scope for further collaboration with the medical profession. Links are provided to journals, books and the Association for Medical Humanities (p. 6).
Thematic Unfolding – Movement Therapy on a specialist self harm unit
Author/s: Gerry Harrison
Keywords
Mental health facility, touch, movement improvisation, “The five part session”, research, Thematic Unfolding Evaluation Model
An audit project conducted as a pilot study on a specialist Crisis Recovery Unit by DMT Gerry Harrison, is described from it’s inception, development and thematic unfolding of six sessions of Movement Therapy. Voluntary group attendance by clients over the course of their six-month stay on the unit was documented, along with the ‘Mixed Methods Approach involving quantitative and qualitative data. Each week is descriptively outlined with vignettes from the sessions. Working with interpersonal relationships was the central theme explored during the study in accordance with the focus of the therapeutic community intention of the unit. (p 7-12)
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The Body Of Dance And The Dancer’s Body
Author/s: Peggy Hackney
Keywords
LMA/ BMA, embodiment, present moment, Moving Beyond Polarities, Creative Systems theory, Aliveness
This article is the opening panel presentation presented by Peggy at the “Laban for the 21st Century Project’ apart of ‘Bratislava in Movement 2006’ in Slovakia from October 6 – 13th. (pp 13-14)
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Dance Movement Therapy and a Journey to the Corporate World
Author/s: Candy Beers
Keywords
DMT skills/attributes, proefessional development, group facilitation, communication training, improvisation
Candy touches on her goal for her DMT career path and it’s unexpected change to become a trainer for businesses seeking to enhance their teams’ skills in: self-awareness, presence and improvisation, observation and trust in the process of leading. Each DMT attribute is described as it applies to a business setting, especially for the leaders in these contexts wanting to improve their communication.(pp 16-17)
Dance Democracy In Dorrigo
Author/s: Fran Clayton
Keywords
regional community group, creative dance, well-being, Anna Halprin, props, performance, collective facilitation
A community group that comes together weekly to share movement along with DMT Fran. The group is unstructured and without a facilitator, allowing space for an array of props and practices to be explored creatively, including performance and processing lived experiences. Community sharing and development has evolved in the emergent space that embraces the unknown, where meals and bartering are shared, games can be played and relational challenges can explored and processed. (pp 18-20)
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Reflections on Workshop with Dr Steve Harvey – Dynamic Family Play and Physical Storytelling
Author/s: Sally Denning
Keywords
Dynamic family play, Physical story telling process, professional development, performance, themes,
Sally describes her participation in this one day workshop which involved games, discussion, embodying concepts and understanding play possibilities for use in family therapy. Potential application of the Physical Storytelling practice is outlined from Steve’s work and from the group’s participation in the process, with one person’s story providing rich experiential learning material for the group. (pp 23-24)
Book Review Dementia: Walking not Wandering – Fresh approaches to understanding and practice
Author/s: Jenny Czulak Riley
Listserve Dialogue – Dementia: Walking Not Wandering
Author/s: Christine Hopkins, Heather Hill
Keywords
residential care, Alzheimers Disease, Geropsychiatric Unit, personality, group therapy, presence, listening
The announcement to the ADTA listserve on the publication of this book (reviewed p.27-28), in which there is a chapter by Dr Heather Hill, promoted some dialogue between herself and Christine Hopkins. It is of interest to read, particularly for those involved in working with this population.
The Chapter: “The who, how and why of walking/wandering – a dance therapy perspective” , is summarised by Heather: “Essentially my chapter rejects a simplistic account of ‘wandering’ as a symptom of dementia, and enlarges the perspective of walking/wandering in the context of dementia, to take in the person and the person in relation to his/her internal or external environment”. Further therapeutic re-framing of walking behaviour are offered by Heather and responded to by Christine with a moment she shared in relationship with a woman who was wandering. This moment expanded into a question for how to integrate wandering walkers into DMT groups. (p.29)