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Dance Hart Therapy

Dance H/art Therapy | Dance Movement Therapist in Training & Inclusive Dance Teacher 🌿 Welcome to Dance H/Art Therapy!

Hello, and welcome to my little corner of the internet, where I’ll be sharing my journey into Dance Movement Therapy as I study with Dance Therapy Training Aotearoa in Auckland, New Zealand. I work for a local nonprofit in Aotearoa, helping people with intellectual disabilities thrive through performing arts, dance, music, and cultural programs. Now, I’m diving deeper into the world of art therapy—exploring how movement can heal, empower, and connect us. Excitingly, I’ll also be running the marketing for DTTA, meaning this page will be a mix of my personal learnings, shared research, and insights from Dance Movement Therapists globally. I hope to inspire, educate, and connect with others who are passionate about the intersection of movement and therapy.

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👍 Give this page a like and show some love! Thanks for being here—I’m so excited for this journey and to share it with you all! 💛

13/11/2025

And just like that I went for my last in-person training in Auckland of this first study year with ! It literally flew by ✈️

Two assignments left for this year and then a break before heading into the second year with DTTA.

16/08/2025

Another trip up north for my training weekend in Auckland with 🤍

We dove into physiology, Laban Movement Analysis (LMA), and Bartenieff Fundamentals, with lots of experientials to really embody the learning.

It’s so nice to combine study and practice with catching up with friends up north—and of course, receiving lots of doggie love! ❤️🐾

16/08/2025

In Dance Movement Therapy (DMT), a word you’ll often hear is “experiential”. But what does it really mean?

An experiential is a movement-based activity designed to help you explore emotions, relationships, and inner experiences through the body. It’s about learning and healing through doing, not just thinking. By moving, noticing, and reflecting, we connect more deeply with ourselves and others. 🌿✨

(Levy, 2005)

07/06/2025

Why “Dance H/art Therapy”? 🤍

03/06/2025

Two months ago, I attended a workshop in Alexandra through the University of Auckland on Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) — a non-pharmacological approach designed to support memory and quality of life for people living with dementia, known in te reo Māori as mate wareware (mate meaning illness, wareware meaning forgetfulness).

Since then, I’ve begun a placement with Alzheimers Otago, where I’m exploring how to weave my Dance Movement Therapy skills into this space. I'm currently supporting a group Music and Movement session for people with mild to moderate dementia — a completely new environment for me to learn and grow in.

Feeling very grateful for this opportunity. 🌿💛

29/05/2025

Martha Graham — a name that changed the world of dance forever.

As one of the most influential choreographers of the 20th century, Martha Graham revolutionized modern dance with her expressive style, focusing on the connection between body and emotion. Her work was all about feeling, about expressing the depths of the human soul through movement. "Dance is the hidden language of the soul." – Martha Graham ✨

But here’s where she differs from Dance Movement Therapy (DMT). While Graham’s approach was about artistic expression and exploring the human experience through choreography, DMT uses dance as a therapeutic tool. Dance therapists are trained to guide individuals through movement to address emotional, psychological, and physical needs. It’s healing through movement.

Both celebrate the power of the body, but DMT is grounded in psychology, while Graham's art focuses on emotional expression and performance.

27/05/2025

Alongside our in-person weekends, the Dance Movement Therapy training with DTTA also includes online training weekends — where students from across Aotearoa and around the world log on to learn, move, and connect.

Even through the screen, there's a real sense of togetherness — we move together online, break out into Zoom rooms for reflections and feedback sessions, and dive into new theoretical learning through slideshows and presentations from our amazing trainers.

It's pretty special to share this journey with such a diverse group of people, each bringing their own stories, cultures, and ways of moving. Even through a screen, the sense of community and support is strong 💻🌍🌀

If you want to learn more about the training from DTTA, visit their Instagram > or their website > www.dancetherapytraining.org

24/05/2025

Meet Marian Chace — the mother of dance therapy 💃🧠

In the 1940s, she noticed something powerful: when her students danced, they felt better — emotionally and physically.
She began using movement as a way to communicate, heal, and connect.

Her work helped create what we now know as Dance Movement Therapy, where the body speaks what words can’t.

🧡 “Movement is a language—our first language—and it tells the truth.” – Marian Chace

19/05/2025

As I approach the halfway mark of my first year at DTTA studying Dance Movement Therapy (DMT), I’m so grateful to integrate my learnings into my work ✨

One of the dance offerings I created for Mint Charitable Trust is "Sensory Groove" — a session where we play with the senses, explore free-flowing movement, have fun, and use sensory props to express emotions through movement and art 🎨

During the last session, I noticed many people seemed tired and not as eager to move, so I shifted the focus. I brought out a huge paper roll and crayons, and we spent the time drawing, doodling, and chatting about life. It was such a beautiful moment to connect, self-reflect, and calm the nervous system 🌿💛

Sometimes, movement doesn’t always mean dancing—it’s about being present and listening to what’s needed in the moment.

16/05/2025

Not all dance is therapy — and that’s okay 💃✨
Let’s break it down:

🧠 Dance Movement Therapy (DMT)
Clinical + evidence-based. Led by trained therapists to support mental health, emotional expression, and healing.

🌈 Ecstatic Dance
Freeform movement for joy, connection, and release. No rules, just rhythm — but it’s not therapy.

🌿 Somatic Dance
Gentle, mindful movement that focuses on body awareness and inner sensing. A beautiful self-care practice, not a clinical one.

Each offers something unique — but only DMT is recognised as a psychotherapeutic tool (ADTA, 2023).

Your body knows the way. Just choose the space that fits your needs. 🧡

07/05/2025

Why dance? Because it just makes everything better!

It lifts your mood, clears your head, and gets your body moving in all the right ways.
You feel stronger, more confident — more you.
And the best part? You don’t have to get it “right” — you just have to move.

Dance is joy, connection, freedom.
Let your body do its thing ✨

19/03/2025

I absolutely love working towards our performance at the Festival of Colour with Mint Charitable Trust! A really cool collaboration between the performers, and artists in the Mint Studio who have been working together to make the props for the show.

Save the date & come watch us and all the other cool performances on the Community Whanau Day, Saturday 29 March - 12.30PM at the Dinosaur Park, Wānaka!

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