Celebrating the 21st birthday of the DTAA
July 10-12, 2015

The Historic Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia


Detailed descriptions about all of these presentations are available to conference delegates (password required)

International Keynote Presenter

Sherry GoodillSherry Goodill PhD, BC-DMT, NCC, LPC
Sherry has been working as a dance movement therapist and educator since 1980. She holds a Masters in creative arts therapy, with a specialisation in dance movement therapy from Hahnemann Medical College and a PhD in medical psychology with a concentration in mind/body studies from The Union Institute and University. In 2005, Sherry published An Introduction to Medical Dance/Movement Therapy:
Health Care in Motion
. She is currently the Chairperson of Department of Creative Arts Therapies at Drexel University, and immediate Past President of the American Dance Therapy Association. Sherry also serves on the editiorial panels for the Arts in Psychotherapy and the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health journals.

The DTAA is honoured to have Sherry’s contribution to our conference, both in this keynote presentation, her contribution to the PACA research forum and pre-conference workshops. Sherry has provided significant academic leadership to the profession of dance movement therapy over decades, through her publications, notably her seminal text on DMT for medical conditions (2005) and her high quality work on evaluation and assessment in DMT. She has also provided inspiring professional leadership in various roles with the American Dance Therapy Association, including most recently the Presidency. In the context of the conference theme, Sherry’s contribution is particularly relevant, as she brings expertise in related health fields, as a qualified psychologist and DMT, and expertise in other arts therapies, given her role as Chair of Drexel University’s Creative Arts Therapy Department.

The Essentialness of Improvisation
Improvisatory processes are at the heart of dance movement therapy practice, but they are also central and essential in the living of a full life, building a satisfying career, and even in the growth of professional associations. This discussion will explore how what we know as creative artists and improvisers can be brought to bear in research, advocacy and organisational development of dance movement therapy as a creative arts therapy discipline.

Hanny Exiner Memorial Address

Elizabeth LoughlinElizabeth Loughlin (MA, B.Litt Hons (Perf Arts), Dip Soc. Studs, Dip DMT, Prof Member DTAA).    
Elizabeth has worked for more than 20 years as a social worker/dance therapist in the area of chronic health conditions, and as a dance therapist with vulnerable mother – infant dyads, in two of Melbourne's major metropolitan hospitals. She trained in dance therapy at the International Dance Therapy Institute of Australia, and completed her Masters in Creative Arts Therapy (La Trobe) with phenomenological research on issues in Turner Syndrome. She has been part of the hospital psychology team that treats and researches interventions, including DMT and creative play, for mothers with post natal depression and their infants. She present regularly at health conferences, teaches in the hospital training program on mother-infant interaction and has published on DMT with her two populations.

The Arts, the Outcomes and the Liminal Space
This presentation discusses a pathway for dance therapy: Finding the specific actions of the arts that can support vulnerable clients to wellbeing and therapeutic change; defining the territory for dance movement therapy in the multidisciplinary team; contributing observations of client playfulness and movement experiences to widen the understanding of health professionals; and developing partnerships with allied health professionals to participate in evaluation and evidence-based research.

PRESENTERS:

Grace BeerGrace Beer
Trained as a professional Social Worker forty years ago and for the past fifteen years a practising and exhibiting Artist, I have developed a blend of the two disciplines. In my counselling work, I facilitate the expression of feelings and experience in creative ways, which leads (amongst other things) to reduction of anxiety, an increase in self-understanding and self-confidence, and enhanced communication skills. Like all other human beings, people with dementia need to express their feelings in a meaningful way, need to feel valued and respected for who they are now, and need to feel that they are part of a caring community. Facilitated visual art as a group activity is an ideal way to meet these needs.
*Co-presenting with Maeve Larkin

 

Alisha CoonAlisha Coon
Alisha began her professional dance career with the Queensland Ballet Company and then continued her career in Germany for 7 years in several ballet and contemporary companies. Upon returning to Australia, Alisha was engaged as a dancer with the prestigious Sydney Dance Company until her retirement in 2013. Alisha was in the first cohort of graduates from the Dance Movement Therapy course at Phoenix Institute in 2014. In January 2015, Alisha launched Sound of Moves ~ A Creative and Expressive Arts Centre which works closely with institutions such as the MacKillop Family and Berry Street to engage disadvantaged and troubled youth through dance and creative arts. Alisha is also a registered ARAD Ballet teacher and is currently studying Early Childhood Education.

 

Ian CumingIan Cuming
Ian Cuming is currently conducting research into the art of social engagement with the Department of Cultural Partnerships at the Victorian College of the Arts at the University of Melbourne. His diverse arts practice as a puppetry specialist spans 38 years in theatrical, educational and community settings. His internationally acclaimed Seagrass Project from 1988 - 1990 proved to be an environmental and cultural watershed. The Lake Bolac Eel Festival Opening Ceremony in 2008 successfully fused sacred ceremony with community art in a moving expression of people and landscape. In 2008/9 he was awarded an Australia Council fellowship in recognition of his contribution to the field of cultural development. In recent times he has been a guest artist with the Dance Family on several occasions.
*Co-Presenting with Heather Hill

 

Sally DenningSally Denning
Sally works as a Therapeutic Specialist, at the Australian Childhood Foundation. She is a PhD Candidate in Dance-Movement Therapy at Melbourne University, and has completed a research Masters in Dance-movement Therapy also at Melbourne University. Additionally, Sally holds a Bachelor's Degree majoring in psychology, a Graduate Diploma in Dance and Movement, a Graduate Certificate in Dance Therapy, a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership, Advanced Skills in Clinical Play Therapy, a Certificate in Child, Adolescent and Family Therapy and a Level I Sensorimotor Psychotherapy qualification with the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute in Boulder Colorado. Sally is a registered dance movement therapist, counsellor, play therapist, teacher and executive coach. She has worked extensively in the education system and currently works clinically with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, neglect and abuse.

 

Alberto Lampa DimarucutAlberto Lampa Dimarucut
Alberto Lampa Dimarucut is an Assistant Professor (DanceSport/Dance Movement Exploration) at the College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines Diliman. Presently a PhD student in Social Development, Alberto's research is focused on applications of DME (DMT), specifically for vulnerable populations in communities. With an MSci HMS (Leisure Studies, UPD-2014), Diploma in DMT (2009) and Associate in Dance (2010) (Wesley Institute, Sydney), and work experiences as dance therapist in Australian facilities, he promotes DMT-DME for healing and team building among religious congregations, challenged groups, educators and corporates in the Philippines. A former Dance Sport competitor {Distinguished Talent (Dance) Australian Government (2003); High Distinction Award in Arts (Dance) Australia (2010); Australian Representative, World Championships, Moscow (2003)} Alberto is an accredited WDC Adjudicator and a Professional Member DTAA.

 

Kim DunphyKim Dunphy
Kim Dunphy (BA, Grad Dip Movement Dance, MEd, PhD) is a dance movement therapist and performing arts educator whose areas of expertise in DMT include people with intellectual disability and international development contexts. Kim is Head of Faculty, Dance Movement Therapy, Phoenix Institute, Melbourne, Australia and Vice-President of the Dance-Movement Therapy Association of Australasia. She is co-author of Freedom to Move: Movement and Dance for People with Intellectual Disabilities (Elsevier 2003) and Dance Therapy Collections 3 (DTAA 2009). Kim's research and practice interests focus on the nature of therapeutic or social change through the arts.

 

Meredith EltonMeredith Elton
Meredith Elton is a Gold Coast based dance movement therapist and performance artist who creates site-responsive and community engaged performances, teaches workshops, sees clients, and conducts research through her platform The Moving Place. Her most recent work includes Inherit the Wind - a community performance project about the weather for Bleach* Festival 2015, a series of performances and collaborations at the Melaka Arts and Performance Festival 2014, and an extended series of meditations – from ‘solo’ performance to community ritual – on the nature and action of (Be)coming Home. Meredith’s practice exists at the intersection of “therapy” and “dance/performance”. She seeks to develop the social technology to propagate publicly intimate spaces and the collective affective processes they enable.

 

Kirsty FromholtzKirsty Fromholtz
Kirsty Fromholtz B Sc (Psychology), Cert. DMT., integrates her training in psychology, contemporary dance and dance movement therapy to develop and implement innovative programs for a range of clinical populations. In 2010 Kirsty founded Sydney Creative Movement, an organisation specialising in community dance projects and creating integrated performance. More recently Kirsty has worked with Forsight Australia to develop a comprehensive DMT program for Deafblind adults. Kirsty has a particular interest in using DMT as an adjunct to existing treatments, especially in the field of Eating Disorders and with clients with severe intellectual disabilities. Kirsty is passionate about building the evidence base for DMT and developing methods of best practice.

 

Jane GuthrieJane Guthrie
Jane Guthrie is an experienced dance movement therapist, physiotherapist and Certified Movement Analyst who was formerly head of department in a busy rehabilitation hospital. She is currently President of the Dance Movement Therapy Association of Australasia, editor of DTAA's journal Moving On and associate editor for the International journal Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy. She has lectured in dance movement therapy at IDTIA and Phoenix Institutes and RMIT University. Jane is skilled in working with clients who have head injuries, work related injuries and other neurological problems. She incorporates dance-movement therapy as part of a holistic approach to her clients' needs, using a combination of functional and expressive approaches to movement.

 

Sabina HandorfSabina Handorf
Sabina Handorf is an independent homebirth midwife, dance/movement therapist, lecturer at Auckland University of Technology and a master student at University of Technology Sydney. She was born in Germany and brings over 30 years of experience into her professions as a midwife. Sabina gained over 20 years experience working in different hospitals, established her private practice as a Dance and movement therapist caring for physically/mentally disabled children and pregnant women before she became an independent midwife. Offering women a unique step-by-step program combining Dance/movement therapy with midwifery and continuity of care is Sabina's passion. "Nothing is more fulfilling than women being able to transform their fear of childbirth into faith, develop their own self-confidence and finally experience the female power of birthing". This is magic!

 

Steve HarveySteve Harvey
Steve Harvey, PhD, BC-DMT, RPT-S, is a clinical psychologist currently working with children, adolescents, and their families in the New Zealand public health service. He is a board certified dance/movement therapist (ADTA), and a registered play therapist/supervisor with Association of Play Therapy. He has published extensively on the use of physical play with families and children and was a pioneer in the field of family play therapy.

 

Jennifer HelmichJennifer Helmich
Jennifer Helmich is DTAA and PACFA registered. She studied with Hanny Exiner and Karen Bond and received a Graduate Certificate in Dance Therapy from Melbourne University. She is a registered midwife and practicing Maternal and Child Health nurse, works in Australia and volunteers overseas in developing countries. A highlight of her career was to study with Marcia B. Leventhal and receive IDTIA's Diploma in Dance Therapy. This was followed with a Masters in Creative Art(s) Therapies from LaTrobe University. Jennifer worked in a community psychiatric clinic, developing a specialty with women who'd experienced trauma and early childhood abuse and clients who'd experienced life threatening accidents or health issues. She is a faculty member with IDTIA and lecturer in IDTIA's three year Dance-Movement Therapy Training.

 

Heather HillHeather Hill
Dr. Heather Hill has been a dance movement therapist for almost 30 years, working with many different groups, in particular in the fields of disability and aged care. She continues her DMT practice alongside her work as a consultant in person-centred dementia care. Her particular interest is in creating and nurturing relationships among diverse groups of people, for example intergenerational programs. For the past four years, she has been facilitating Dance Family, a program of weekly dance/movement sessions for families with children with disabilities. The focus is on offering families a time and space together, to explore and "play" in a creative and accepting environment.
*Co-presenting with Ian Cuming

 

Jessica (Chia-Chun) HuJessica (Chia-Chun) Hu
MA, LCAT, BC-DMT, LP-LMHC, NCC, CDP. Jessica Chia-Chun Hu is from Taiwan and currently works in New York.  She has served as a Clinical Licensed Creative Arts Therapist and Board Certified-Dance Movement Psychotherapist, mainly applying LMA and KMP movement analysis into her clinical work. She received her master’s degree in dance/movement therapy and counselling from Antioch University New England. Ms.Hu has extensive clinical experience with a variety of populations, including seniors with Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and physical disabilities; children with Autism, severe emotional disturbance and pervasive developmental disorders. She co-presented her clinical work at several international conferences, including Expressive Arts Summit New York (2012), Korean Dance Therapy Association (2013), ADTA (2013), and European Association Dance Movement Therapy (2014). She practices as a Way of Seeing practitioner and Authentic Movement practitioner in her private work.

 

Anne HurstAnne Hurst
Anne Hurst, MAAT (clin), MHSC, PGDip Mental Health Nursing, BHSc, AThR, R.N. ANZATA. CTAA. Assoc DTAA.
Working as a mental health nurse for 25 years. Completed MA in Clinical Arts Therapy, Dance Movement Therapy specialisation in 2011. Professional member of ANZATA. Working since then as arts/dance movement therapist in eating and co-existing disorder treatment. Associate therapist with DTNZ, worked with children, teens, adults with special needs and mental health. Creative Therapies Association Aotearoa steering committee member. Lead wellness dance programmes, authentic movement groups and individual dance/movement and art therapy.

 

Marita JacobsssonMarita Jacobsson
Bachelor of Nursing (Hons), Grad. Dip. & MA (Creative Arts Therapy (CAT), (MIECAT). Professional member ACATA. Formerly a Registered Nurse, with diverse clinical and community based roles. Experience as a creative arts therapist; facilitating individual and group sessions with children, women with MS, students, educators, elderly people and adults with disabilities. Research experience includes Masters research undertaken within a DMT program at a special developmental school and systematic literature review of evidence of expressive arts therapies undertaken with Kim Dunphy and Sue Mullane (funded by PACFA in 2012). Coordinating well-being for Women retreats in Melbourne and regional Victoria with multi-modal approaches to health and well-being. HEMF grant recipient to research DMT and creative arts therapy approaches to well-being for women in Timor-Leste in November 2014.

 

Alexandra JordanAlexandra Jordan
Alex is a dance movement therapist and improvised dance practitioner based in Darwin. Alex is a founding member and key facilitator of the long lasting Darwin Dance Collective. She is greatly inspired by her training with Alice Cummins (Body Mind Centring), Steve Harvey and Connor Kelly (Physical Story telling) and Amber Gray (Trauma expert). Her work as a dance therapist has included working with people with a disability, mum's and babies groups, and community dance projects. More recently in her role as a counselor with Melaleuca, she has focused on developing her expertise in working cross-culturally, through the body to assist in recovery from Trauma. Alex has traveled with her dance therapy to various parts of Asia including Thailand, Burma, Cambodia and East Timor.

 

Angela KastanisAngela Katsanis
Angela Kastanis, B.A. Grad Dip Ed, Senior Yoga Teacher with YTAA and an Associate member of DTAA completed her Dance Therapy Certificate course with IDTIA in 2011 and is currently working toward her Diploma in Advanced Clinical Training with IDTIA. Currently, she is working in an International Language Centre integrating movement in her classes to facilitate language learning. She also runs dance therapy sessions for 6 year olds with a focus on helping the children find safety to express creatively as well as running ongoing yoga classes in her community and monthly Sacred Dance sessions; a creative movement mediation class for adults on the Mornington Peninsula.

 

E. Connor KellyE. Connor Kelly
MA, BC-DMT, LPC. Dance/movement therapist working with head-injured adults and a small private practice in New Plymouth, New Zealand, experiences with developmentally disabled adults, frail elderly, children and families. Studies and facilitates Authentic Movement (30 years), Bartenieff Fundamentals, Body Mapping and Physical Storytelling, (co-created Dr Steve Harvey). Lived in four countries and taught in various Dance/Movement Therapy Programmes including presenting at numerous conferences. Authored and co-authored several articles and supervises students and professional dance/movement therapists. Contributed to various community dance projects/performances. A La Leche League Leader for 20 years, the past 11 years in New Zealand helping to accredit new leaders and review books. New Zealand College of Midwives, Consumer Reviewer for 8 years for both Midwifery Standards Review and First Year of Practice Reviews. Yoga instructor.

 

Maeve LarkinMaeve Larkin
I have had a lifelong interest and love of dance which I have shared with the community as a dancer, teacher, dance movement therapist and workshop presenter. In 2011 I attended an ANZATA summit, "Birds of a Feather" where expressive arts therapists, dance movement therapists and music therapists shared their skills with each other in co-facilitated workshops. I could see tremendous benefits in combining arts therapies and was keen test out my ideas. In 2013, expressive arts therapist, Grace Beer and I co-facilitated Young at HeArt, a project working with people in early to mid stages of dementia, at Cooinda Village, Benalla. The project proved to be an enriching and life affirming experience for all involved.
*Co-presenting with Grace Beer

 

Cecilia LauCecilia Lau
Cecilia began her creative career in dance and directing after completing her studies in Bachelor of Arts (Theatre/Dance). Later she sought to broaden her understanding of the creative industry and studied Theatre & Events Production at Victorian College of the Arts. She worked extensively in the areas of choreography, theatre and events production in Australia, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan before her interest in creativity steered her towards Dance Movement Therapy. She completed her training in DMT in 2012 and is currently in the final year to obtain a Master of Counselling at Wesley Institute. Cecilia specialises working with people with disabilities, trauma, depression and severe anxiety. Her practice is informed by expressive arts therapy, emotion focused techniques, developmental theories and Self Psychology.

 

Sandra Kay LauffenburgerSandra Kay Lauffenburger
Sandra maintains a clinical practice in Dance/Movement Therapy and Psychodynamic Psychoanalysis (self-psychology) in Canberra, working with a spectrum of issues from chronic pain through to personality disorders. Over thirty years of studying, exploring, and integrating the body, movement, and verbal therapy inform her work. Sandra was certified as a Laban Movement Analyst in 1985 and has applied this powerful somatic/movement theory in a number of areas. She has taught LMA/BF for Dance Therapists (Counselling program at the Wesley Institute, Sydney and Vancouver), for Somatic Movement Therapists (Tensegrity Training, Sunshine Coast), and most recently offered "Somatics and Movement for Counselling" at the University of Canberra Counselling Department.

 
Angela S. L. Leung

Angela S. L. Leung
Miss Angela S. L. Leung, MPhil, Grad dip DMT, M Soc Sc, B Ed, and an Associate member of the Dance-Movement Therapy Association of Australasia. Angela has conducted a research study with women living with breast cancer. Angela is the first person to employ movement-based focus group to explore women's breast cancer experiences in Hong Kong.

 

Eileen McDonald
Eileen McDonald, DTAA, IDTIA
Eileen McDonaldM Couns, Grad Dip DMT, T Cert, BA (Communications), Cert IV TAE.
Eileen is a Dance Movement Therapist (DMT), Counsellor, Mental Health and Disability Consultant providing training, mentoring and research. She has worked in community, clinical and educational setting for over 30 years. Eileen was a lecturer and supervisor for 15 years in the Graduate School of Counselling DMT course at the Wesley Institute Sydney.  She provides curriculum development and training for Mental Health and Disability organizations, conferences and workshops in Australia and overseas.  Eileen is a member of the PACFA Research Committee Expert Consultation Group, Co-editor of the PACJA journal and the NSW Liaison for the DTAA national executive. Eileen is a mentor and trainer for DMT for The Wangu Kanja Foundation in Kenya. The Foundation is committed to women’s health and human rights in the struggle to address sexual abuse and gender based violence.

 

Sue MullaneSue Mullane
Sue Mullane (BEd, Grad Dip Movement Dance, MEd (Dance) is an experienced special educator and dance movement therapist who has worked with adults and children in a variety of educational and health settings. She has completed research, presented and written professionally in the area of dance movement therapy and trauma (childhood sexual assault) recovery; and for mainstream and special needs children in school-based, therapeutic movement and dance programs. Currently Sue lectures in dance movement therapy at Phoenix Institute (Melbourne) and, together with Kim Dunphy, is conducting an international trial on use of an iPad app for assessment in dance movement therapy. Sue is also completing PhD research (Deakin University) on the correlation between dance movement therapy and wellbeing for students with complex learning needs.

 

Tracey NicholsonTracey Nicholson
Tracey is a Dance-Movement Therapist, Pilates practitioner and Somatic Movement Therapist with extensive experience in mental health, rehabilitation and special education. Tracey has presented at Conferences in Australia, USA and Israel on Movement Based Somatic Therapy and Pilates. More recently, she has presented on the benefits of movement and dance in education for students presenting with behavioural problems. Tracey has a passion for generating within people a love of moving their bodies and incorporates aspects of somatic education, Developmental Movement, Laban Movement Analysis and Gyrokinesis® in her work. As a professional member of the DTAA she has mentored many emerging Dance Therapists and further pursued her interest in education by establishing Tensegrity Training – an RTO offering a Nationally Accredited Graduate Certificate in Movement Based Somatic Therapy.

 

Tony NorquayTony Norquay
Tony has conducted classes and workshops in dance movement for personal growth and creative expression since 1978; has been a dance movement therapist in psychiatric settings; presented at conferences and conducted training for others interested in therapeutic dance and movement. He was the inaugural Convenor of the International Dance Therapy Institute of Australia and continues to be interested in the development of DMT as a profession and as a rich resource for people at all stages of life.

 

Fran OstroburskiFran Ostroburski
Fran, Professional Member DTAA, IDTIA Diploma Graduate, is a practicing social worker as well as dance movement therapist, and   teacher of creative dance and yoga in various studio settings. She works as a dance therapist at Connections, Uniting Care with troubled families.  As well as her lecturing responsibilities with the IDTIA, Fran teaches on the Creative Dance Diploma Course at Mangala Studios, Melbourne.

 
Alice OwenAlice Owen

Alice Owen LACST ,Grad Dip Movement and Dance,Dip. Dance Movement Therapy,ADA Performing Arts. divides her time between combining her skills in DMT and Speech Pathology working with children and adults with severe communication impairments and movement differences  and diversity and running improvisation and creative dance workshops. Alice will be retiring from Speech Pathology work to spend more time exploring her own creative pursuits and do more Dance Therapy work. She has been running an improvisation group Wunderfools based on Al Wunders work since 1999 and would like to do more of this kind of movement based performance. By giving dance and theatre collaborations more time and energy new possibilities will emerge which will also enhance her Dance Therapy practice.

 

Brigitte PulsBrigitte Puls
Brigitte Puls is a clinical psychologist (NZ reg. psych., clinical scope of practice), clinical movement-dance psychotherapist (EAG, MCTAA, MDUPANZ (cert.) and psychotherapist (NZ reg., MNZAP). Part-time senior lecturer at AUT University, teaching in the areas of creative-expressive therapies, psychotherapy and child and adolescent mental health. Brigitte practices private practice for individual adults, children and adolescents. Her areas of special interest are movement-dance group psychotherapy and holding holistic healing retreats and workshops that enhance participants' natural dance, their creativity, their personal and spiritual essence as well as meeting their needs for being in a healing and healthy relationship with others and with nature.

 

Jane RefshaugeJane Refshauge
Jane Refshauge BA, MFA, DipDMT, MPS, MAPS, MCCOUNP, AuSTAT, DTAA, PACFA Reg. has a background in the performing arts and psychology. She has studied, performed and taught dance and movement disciplines, that have developed from the premise that the body is a psycho-physical-spiritual unity, working within professional dance studios, performance venues, tertiary and secondary educational institutions, and psychiatric hospital settings. She worked at Wingrove Cottage Community Clinic in Eltham, a psychiatric day-care clinic, between 1985 and 2001 under the supervision of Dr Daniel Kahans. Dr Kahans was committed to the therapeutic modalities of psycho-aesthetics and facilitated a performance by attending clinic patients annually. These performances were often produced at La Mama Theatre in Carlton and were pivotal in patients' recovery. Ms Refshauge currently works in private practice as a counselling psychologist and dance movement therapist utilizing art and movement modalities.
*Co-presenting with Cinzia Schincariol

 

Elizabeth Rutten-NgElizabeth Rutten-Ng
MaDaT, DipEd, NVDAT (SRVB candidate & continued-education committee), ADTA professional member. Elizabeth Rutten-Ng is a professional dance therapist, Certified Ways of Seeing practitioner, educator, founder and director of Embodied Movement from Singapore and based in Netherlands. She earned her Master in Dance Therapy, CODARTS, Rotterdam. She had been interviewed and featured in Singapore and Kuala Lumpur local press, magazine and websites. For 20 years, she has worked with young children as an educator, a drama/ movement teacher and dance therapist working with a variety of population of different international cultures in Asia and Netherlands. She presented her thesis in the ECaRTe conference in Paris, co-presented with Dr. Suzi Tortora in ADTA conference in New York in 2013 and in first EADMT conference in Riga in 2014.

 

Cinzia SchincariolCinzia Schincariol
Cinzia Schincariol currently is interested in looking at improvisation as dance, as performance and composition, as enquiry and research method, and as providing opportunity for healing and integrating of the multidimensionality aspects of being, time and space. Her artistic and healing practice is inspired by various practitioners in Australia and overseas, by a profound self-healing process and an interest in spirituality and healing within various indigenous communities and cultures. This motivated her to complete a Diploma in Dance Movement Therapy (IDTIA Melbourne 2008-12), the Danceability certification with Alito Alessi, to be part of the 'Restless Dance Theatre' education team, to contribute to 'Company@', an autistic theatre company and to dance with people of many walks of lives and abilities. Currently based in Adelaide, she performs, she works as a Dance Movement Therapist for SCOSA, she is part of the Acorn mother and infant project, she regularly teaches improvisation, and hosts authentic movement and contemplative dance practice.
*Co-presenting with Jane Refshauge

 

Sharon SearleSharon Searle
Sharon Searle is a registered clinical counsellor, accredited supervisor, and dance movement therapist with 13 years` experience as a generalist counsellor, family and relationship counsellor, and Aboriginal and child and adolescent counsellor.  Sharon integrates dance movement therapy with verbal psychotherapies, and currently works as an Aboriginal Mental Health Clinician, Community Mental Health, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District.

 

Sue SilcoxSue Silcox
Sue Silcox is Australia's first Ageless Grace® Certified Educator and currently the only Trainer. Sue's background was in education, both in schools and later in industry where she had extensive experience in the design, development and delivery of training packages. Born in South Wales, Sue and her family moved to Australia in 1990. It wasn't until 2011 that Sue 'found' exercise through the body-centred movement practice of Nia, which has changed her outlook on life since and brought on so-called retirement! Passionate about how powerful Ageless Grace® is, Sue is putting in place structures that will allow Ageless Grace® to grow in Australia.

 

Suzi TortoraSuzi Tortora
Suzi Tortora, Ed.D, BC-DMT, CMA, LCAT, LMHC holds a doctorate from Columbia University and is a consultant to the "Mothers, Infants and Young Children of September 11, 2001: A Primary Prevention Project" in the Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University under Dr. Beatrice Beebe. She developed the Dréa's Dream Pediatric dance/movement therapy program at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, where she is the senior dance therapist. She has published numerous papers and her book, The Dancing Dialogue is used extensively in DMT training programs. She holds a board position at NY Zero to Three Network; has a private practice in New York City and Cold Spring, NY; teaches internationally; and has been featured on "Good Morning America", "Eyewitness News" ABC –TV and in Malcolm Gladwell's book, What the Dog Saw.

 

Anaia TreefootAnaia Treefoot
Anaia Treefoot, DTAA, AThR, MA AT Clin., ADTA Associate, DTNZ Director is a Dance Movement Therapist and Arts Therapist, based in Auckland, New Zealand. Anaia's background includes working with children with multiple disabilities, Autism and other special needs; Women's Groups; adults seeking personal growth and self-understanding; and young children and their parents. Anaia gained her MA in Clinical Arts Therapy specializing in DMT then travelled to New York for internship with Dr Suzi Tortora. Anaia returned to NZ in 2010 and has been instrumental in establishing Dance Therapy NZ, and a Certificate in DMT.
*Co-presenting with Jacquelyn Jung-Hsu Wan.

 

Richard TronsonRichard Tronson
Richard is a recent dance movement therapist graduate of Phoenix Institute. He has a Bachelors degree in Professional Writing, and a deep interest in sociology, eco-psychology and a variety of healing modalities that he incorporates into his work as a creator and designer of dance and embodiment experiences. He has been a facilitator of the 'Dancing Freedom' practice with his wife, Lydia, since 2010 and has inspired numerous people from around the world to use dance and movement for their own healing and transformation. His approach to dance movement therapy is to ignite artful, heart-full and healing experiences within others in a way that empowers and inspires them to reunite with the intelligence of their own bodies. He teaches regular fortnightly classes in Melbourne, and also shares workshops both locally and overseas.

 

Gilda Lasat UyGilda Lasat Uy
Gilda Lasat Uy is a Professor of Leisure Science, Physcal Activity in Healthy Lifestyle Promotion and Active Ageing, Director, Graduate Studies Program, College of Human Kinetics, University of the Philippines Diliman. She is also the Program Development Associate on Wellness and Healthy Lifestyle for all the 8 campuses of the University of the Philippines System and a Steering Committee Member of the National Coalition for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases of the Department of Health. She earned her BS Education (PhysEd-HealthEd) at UPD and Master of Education (Comparative PhysEd) from the Yokohama National University as a Japan Government scholar. She has special trainings in Exercise Gerontology (Japan), Post-Disaster Intervention through Sports (Germany) and as a Visiting Professor at the Woosong University, Daejeon Korea.

 

Rachel van der KolkRachel van der Kolk
Rachel van der Kolk (1978) is a psychologist (Radboud University, the Netherlands, graduated in 2002) and dance movement psychotherapist (Codarts, the Netherlands, graduated in 2012). Rachel has worked in different mental health care settings over the last 10 years. Families and children are the red thread in her work, but she also worked with adults ands seniors (developmental challenges, psychotrauma). She worked and lived in Switzerland and the Netherlands before she moved to Melbourne in september 2014.

 

Jacquelyn Jung-Hsu WanJacquelyn Jung-Hsu Wan
Jacquelyn Jung-Hsu Wan MA, R-DMT (ADTA), CDT (TDTA), DTAA Associate, AThR is a Dance/Movement Psychotherapist from Taiwan; now based in Auckland. She earned her MA in Dance/Movement Therapy in Drexel University and holds a BS in Applied Psychology in Fu-Jen University. Her clinical experience includes working with children in Spectrum, Attention-Deficit Disorder; individuals with attachment, trauma issues; physical, multi-disabilities; adults in psychiatric hospitals; support workers for long-term illness patients. Jung-Hsu was first trained with Dr. Tsung-Chin Lee in Taiwan; now a certified Ways of Seeing practitioner and is a trainer in Dance Therapy NZ. She co-presented at ADTA conference (2013) with Dr. Suzi Tortora, and at International Panel in ADTA conference (2014) with Anaia Treefoot. Her vision in DMT is to spread the seeds to communities where she can reach, and to remind people of the healing power in dance.
*Co-presenting with Anaia Treefoot

 

Virginia WoodsVirginia Woods
Virginia Woods is a Dance Movement Therapist, psychologist, creative arts therapist and somatic psychotherapist. She has over 30 years experience working in mental health and rehabilitation. Virginia has a commitment to supporting people to develop a sense of well-being in mind, spirit and body, based on the latest understanding from neurobiology and drawing from experience in meditation and the arts.

 

Kat WorthKat Worth
Kat Worth is an established community dance artist, choreographer, director working in Melbourne, South Australia and the Northern Territory. Kat leads a diversity of community dance projects facilitating people to transform their collective stories into performance. Kat is currently artistic director of Boilover Inclusive Performance Ensemble and former artistic director of Restless Dance Theatre and Company CHAOS, all companies working with people with a disability. She has directed works for Australian Dance Theatre, Arts in Health Flinders Medical Centre, and several independent works including multi-award winning dance film, Sixteen. Kat currently works on an intergenerational indigenous dance cultural program called Southern Ngalia in remote NT and with babies and young children at ArtPlay in Melbourne City. Kat has worked with local government, independent organisations and specific communities delivering community arts projects through community cultural processes since 1993.