Dance Therapy

Dance can be of benefit to both caregivers and patients. Dance therapy is defined by the American Dance Therapy Association as “the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process which furthers the emotional, cognitive, social and physical integration of the individual.”

 

Dance therapists work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, mental health centers, and rehabilitation facilities, with people who are dealing with psychological, cognitive, or physical health issues. Dance therapists are trained at the master’s level and either registered to work in a treatment team setting or, with further training, engage in private practice.

 

One program showed that dance therapy helped breast cancer survivors gain an improved body image following surgery and promote a positive attitude toward exercise, which helps physically and psychologically to encourage recovery. Another study with children and adolescents with cancer showed how a creative arts therapy program helped reduce stress and helped with psychological adjustment for the participants.

 

Formal programs in dance or movement therapy for cancer survivors may be hard to find. However, there are dance classes in every city that include types of dance such as tap, ballet, folk, modern, and ballroom. For patients with cancer, it’s a good idea to check with their doctor to see if there are any precautions to take before beginning a class, and a referral to a physical therapist for assessment would be an additional safeguard against injury. However, whether they have danced before or never, dancing is a pleasurable form of exercise set to music that is social, fun, and good for body and mind.

 

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