Am J Dance Ther (2012) 34:20–26 DOI 10.1007/s10465-012-9125-y
Cultural Identity and Collaboration in Dance/ Movement Therapy: The 2011 ADTA International Panel Patricia P. Capello
Published online: 10 March 2012 Ó American Dance Therapy Association 2012
Introduction For the past 17 years, the International Panel has been a triumph of global alliance and partnership. Bound solidly by the vital work of dance/movement therapy (DMT), the cooperative group effort displayed by the panelists has been demonstrated at each unique meeting. These professionals from around the world, under the guidance of panel founder and chair, Dr. Miriam Roskin Berger, have candidly shared both their personal and professional stories of DMT. The International Panel epitomizes the concept of shared commonality enhanced by the diversity of identities.
The Panel Overview In response to the 2011 American Dance Therapy Association conference theme, Collaborations: Different Identities, Mutual Paths, this year’s panel focused on cultural identity and collaboration in DMT. Through video and live performances, panelists from Germany, South Korea, and Japan demonstrated how cultural dance forms can have a role in influencing DMT practice; positive clinical results of partnerships with professionals and combined theoretic approaches from other disciplines were poignantly depicted through video by speakers from Taiwan and the Netherlands. Although unable to present their work in person on the panel, a paper from India that challenged us to look at how DMT itself is a collaborative process between dance, movement, and therapy, is included in the overview.
P. P. Capello (&) Department of Psychiatry, Maimonides Medical Center, 4917 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11230, USA e-mail:
[email protected]
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Japan According to Yukari Sakiyama the cultural features of traditional Japanese dance have played a role in the development of DMT in her country. A basic part of the noh dance, such as fundamental posture which lowers the mover’s center of gravity resulting in a slower, more controlled gait, has been successful in working with patients diagnosed with schizophrenia. The symmetrical spatial formations of the ritual dances of Kagura, Shishiodori, and Onikenbai encourage cooperative group movement and support healthy social interaction. Bon dance festivals that are held in the summer at many Japanese psychiatric hospitals become a forum for patients, psychiatrists, nurses, other medical staff, and even neighbors to join together in dance. Not only is it an opportunity for rehabilitative, occupational therapy through movement, but a normalizing event permitting open communication between patients and members of the neighboring community. Utilizing the circle formation and unison group movements, the bon dance certainly is a familiar archetype of DMT. Another Japanese dance whose elements are useful in DMT is butoh. Created by Tatsumi Hijikata, butoh focuses on the mind–body connection and the importance of releasing of tension. The work of each dancer in butoh is unique and personal, with attention paid to very small and subtle movements. The unassuming and quiet character of butoh dance, while in contrast to more rhythmic or playful action, provides the dance/movement therapist a valuable variety of style and form to offer the client as part of his or her individual recovery process. Sakiyama shared a brief video, which depicted some simple, yet expressive, finger-work of butoh, which some audience members then explored for themselves. Incorporating elements of massage into DMT sessions in Japan have been effective in work with children and the elderly. Used, as Sakiyama describes, within the therapeutic ‘‘protective framework’’ of the session, healing touch strengthens communication and is seen as a link between a common cultural behavior and an effective clinical resource in DMT.
The Netherlands Dance/movement therapist, Zivka Frank was an impressive member of last year’s panel that focused on men as clients and therapists. He returned this year to discuss his continued success in combining DMT and cognitive behavioral therapy in treating the effects of the physical and psychological trauma of sexual abuse. Describing the ‘‘wounding of the body’’ and the need for recovery, he uses DMT as a bridge between ‘‘being broken and feeling proud.’’ Though trauma, in general, refers to the psychological effect of sexual abuse on the victim, sexual trauma has profound consequences on the body and nervous system; many symptoms of traumatized individuals are somatically driven. Frank identifies specific treatment goals for men who have been abused: building a sense of safety and self-confidence, clarification of boundaries, expression of feelings, positive body image, self-assertion, and permitting social and physical contact with
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others. Ultimately, he feels, attaining these goals will lead to healthy sexuality and the opportunity for intimacy. In conjunction with establishing a therapeutic movement relationship, Frank’s strongly intuitive approach to treatment is outlined in four stages. The feeling safe stage occurs with the establishment of safety, confidence, and boundaries between group members. Expressions of anger, aggression, and grief are apparent in the fighting stage. Feelings of connectedness and warmth occur in the intimacy stage. Terminating from the group in the parting stage signals the readiness for separation from the therapist and group members while encouraging a reconnection with others in clients’ lives. Frank’s presentation culminated in the screening of a dance video. Stuk (‘‘being broken’’) is a poignant film which truly exemplified a successful collaboration between dance/movement therapist, clients, professional dancers, and a choreographer. In a powerful display of physicality and emotion, the dance served to honor the challenging path from trauma and brokenness, to wholeness and recovery.
Taiwan In August of 2009 the Morakot typhoon struck in southern Taiwan causing a devastating loss of life and property. As part of the government relief efforts, an Art in Counseling Program was implemented to assist the traumatized victims. Dance/ movement therapist Tsung-Chin Lee was among the team of psychologists and teaching and performing artists who conducted a three day workshop blending their skills and techniques to support the recovery process. Reaching out to the local community, the program invited teachers, nurses, and adult survivors of the typhoon to explore how the disaster affected their lives and encouraged them to express their feelings and reactions. The first day, as Lee describes, was an introductory period during which the performing art groups presented various artistic media (dance, drama, and puppetry) and led participants in creative, expressive sessions. These experiences were then supported by the therapists who provided an opportunity for psychological awareness and verbal sharing. Groups were formed on the second day and began working on a presentation using dance or drama that illustrated their experiences and chronicled their feelings about the ordeal. These collaborative presentations were offered on the final day, concluding in a facilitated group discussion and feedback. A stirring video of a dance session helped to demonstrate the authentic process as a group of survivors witnessed and supported each other through an emotionally moving sequence. The viewer got an intimate glimpse of the transformation of pain and suffering into restoration and survival while guided by a dance/movement therapist. Lee pointed out the importance of employing seasoned, professionally trained clinical therapists in doing this type of work with survivors. She cautioned that this was essential to minimize any secondary trauma for clients as they revealed their inner, painful world. Her hope for the future is that training programs will be established that will educate professional expressive arts therapists in combination with advanced psychological counseling skills.
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South Korea By identifying and employing the potential healing resources of traditional Korean Mask Dance, dance/movement therapist, Nayung Kim, demonstrated how the genuine components of ancient ritual can be merged with those found in the therapeutic process. Kim described how the masked players sing and dance as they weave their regional tales based on characters ranging from the wealthy nobleman to the poor commoner. Citing the improvisational nature of the mask dance as it incorporates changes in posture, gesture, and emotional content, Kim sees the use of symbolic movement and the synchrony of rhythmic interaction between player and audience mirrored in the DMT process. As the audience makes responsive sounds and attunes to the dancer’s actions, an experience of empathic reflection echoes the fundamental therapeutic elements of a DMT session. The interactive experience in mask dance is emphasized by the vocalizations from audience members and players creating an impromptu chorus. Verbal dialogues go back and forth thereby removing boundaries, thus creating a forum for mutual understanding. Classic DMT methods of picking up gestures and encouraging active versus passive involvement in the experience are also core elements found in this traditional dance. A further connection is the how the masks represent a variety of emotional expressions (both real and imaginary) that can be experienced by the audience at a ‘‘safe’’ distance, while still having a cathartic effect. Another link between the traditional and the therapeutic is the value of synchrony and cohesion. Most mask dances have a repetitive, simple format of gestures accompanied by sounds. As the dancers exhibit dynamic actions with movement of arms and legs, the audience sings out ‘‘Eolssu’’ in response, forming an animated, interconnected relationship that is reminiscent of the receptive therapeutic bond. Supporting her investigation into the alliance between traditional Korean dance and therapy, Kim’s presentation concluded with a triumphant live performance of a typical mask dance. Executed by a group of young DMT graduate trainees from Kim’s academic program in Korea, the masked and costumed dancers energized the audience. Accompanied by powerful drumming, the dancers embodied the strength and potency of dance, gestures, and sound engaging the audience in a moving synthesis of aesthetics and meaning.
Germany Roland Schankula, a DMT from Germany who was part of last year’s men’s panel, returned to discuss how intricately connected his cultural roots are to his work. Born in a village in the western part of Romania where three different native languages were spoken, Schankula learned German folk dances, such as the waltz and polka, and watched Romanian dances on television. In fact, he reports, in his early years as a dancer, an instructor observed his natural rhythmic phrasing to be in three-quarters time. As a DMT he also uses what he calls ‘‘Balkan beats’’ and ‘‘gypsy jams’’ that originate from the dance floors of Eastern Europe. Connecting intimately with the varying rhythms of waltz, polka, and Balkan dance, Schankula reflects back on what
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he considers a personal ‘‘cultural migration’’ of sorts in which he was a minority growing up in Romania while maintaining his German identity. Schankula spoke more about how he uses music and dance as a collaborative therapeutic tool. Working with a female client from Syria, he introduced pop music from North Africa through which she began to explore the beautiful dance forms from her own culture. Observing her delight in moving to more unusual music, Schankula tried varying the sounds and watched as she began to open herself up to incorporating her more typical movement style while learning to respect and integrate less familiar music and dance forms. Facing the challenge of working with a group of Turkish clients, he again utilized his DMT tools of watching and following, drawing on their traditional forms as he presented more structure in the session, giving him the opportunity to make additional, differentiated movement interventions. He further describes how he attempts to use a variety of music and dance constructs that he feels relate to clients of every generation: hip hop with younger clients; rock oldies with those he described as his ‘‘own age;’’ and how traditional music may not connect to all. That is, he discovered, until they realize that there are rhythms and sounds in newer music that have their foundational base in the time-honored musical formulas of tango, samba, flamenco, and African dance. For those clients from Eastern Europe, and therefore more closely connected to the music from the region, Schankula may use an interesting blend of Bavarian and Cuban music. Often a client may begin to ‘‘schuaplattl,’’ wherein the dancer claps their hands on legs and shoes creating an improvisational movement that inspires the entire group. Though having deep respect for many cultural dance forms, Schankula ended his presentation by inviting the audience to join him in a triumphant polka, complete with partners and single dancers exuberantly sliding and hopping through the space.
India Although unable to appear on this year’s panel, Sohini Chakraborty submitted her paper on what she feels is the shared process between movement, dance, and therapy, and the ways in which DMT fosters collaboration at three different levels: individual, communal, and societal. Chakraborty began her discussion with a broad description of the components derived through movement within each individual: rhythm, spontaneity, expression, energy, emotion, dynamics, uniqueness, joy, and dignity. It is when these elements collaborate with each other through the DMT process that they become a tool for recovery and healing. It is via the building of a body–mind connection, says Chakraborty, that people can regain the lost ‘‘rhythms of their lives.’’ As a person uses DMT as a vehicle towards better health and personal growth he improves his connection with the wider community, which, she believes, then transcends the boundaries of class, caste, language, and religion. Citing several case studies based on her DMT work with the organization known as Kolkata Sanved, Chakraborty identified the importance of bringing together
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teachers and principals in academic settings. By working collaboratively in a DMT workshop they find that they can minimize the hierarchal standards and begin to trust one another, thus helping to resolve conflict, share responsibilities, and support each other. As a result of these successful experientials, DMT was added to the school’s curriculum. Other examples were notable. As a non-verbal form of therapy, DMT was an avenue to communicating with children. Through dance, expressive movement, and art, Chakraborty was able to reach those who are survivors of trafficking in Thailand. By using a gentle and non-threatening approach, she was able to reach women from rural India who were rarely out in a public setting. Inviting all the caregivers (from housekeepers to administrators) from local children’s shelters to work cohesively in a DMT session resulted in a more positive regard and interest in the effective tools of DMT (i.e. healing touch). Chakraborty feels confident that through the influence of DMT there can be a major shift in attitude and acceptance of its potential for healing; from individual survivors and victims of violence, to social workers and other mental health professionals in community programs, and ultimately to the administrators and corporate officials in the larger society.
Concluding Remarks The collaborative process within the International Panel was abundantly evident in this year’s presentations. Using inspiring video and live dance performances, the panelists’ unique identities, both cultural and professional, came through in their vibrant and knowledgeable approaches to treatment. The mutual paths of DMT converge so eloquently in this world-wide forum; this diversity is singularly distinctive, as it is familiar, to all those who practice in this healing profession.
Fig. 1 Members of the 2011 International Panel
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Author Biography Patricia P. Capello, MA, BC-DMT, NCC, LCAT Patricia P. Capello is Senior Dance/Movement Therapist and Acting Team Leader at Maimonides Medical Center’s Department of Psychiatry in Brooklyn, NY. She has been a member of the adjunct faculty at New York University and teaches at the Harkness Dance Center and The New School. Ms. Capello has served over 16 years on the Board of Directors of the ADTA, trains and supervises students both in the US and abroad, and maintains a private practice specializing in developmentally delayed adults. Her writing is featured in the recently published book The Art and Science of Dance/Movement Therapy: Life is Dance (Routledge 2009).
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