Dance Therapy Writings

Warm Up / Release for Intellectually Disabled Adults # 1

21st March 2010

1. Clients sitting in a circle on chairs

Get clients attention/focus by making a circle. Create a safe/known environment.

2. Go around the circle and each client offer a movement for all to copy. Therapist makes offerings for clients to enhance their movements Notice what body parts/effort each client chooses for that day. Initiates body awareness & warm up for own body. Warm up to the group & acknowledgment as all copy movement

3. Tap on Shoulder dance. Each client gets a chance to dance in the centre of the circle to the music. When they have finished they get to choose someone else from the group by tapping them on the shoulder.

Moving into a released state, a chance for a new formation to emerge, possibly a shift from habitual movement. Connecting with another by choosing & tapping on shoulder. Therapist encourages & offers ways to enhance movements (Bigger/Smaller).

Warm Up / Theme #2

Thursday 20^th May 2010

1. A very simple introductory exercise with everyone.

Sitting in circle – say name and movement all copy

Sitting in their circle. One person says their name with a movement

(Sitting down) then all repeat name and movement.

2. Put on some music.

Invite them into the space one at a time with a scarf to dance with me.

Obviously some may not want to enter the space, which is fine, but maybe we could try it with the ones that do.

3. Have three props to choose from in the space - Parasol, Ball, Scarf.

They can choose one of these to dance with...

Demonstrate possibilities of all three first. Then invite one at a time to enter the space & see what they will do. The rest are the audience.

Centering & Closure for Normal Urban Neurotics

10th February 2010

Section #1 (10 minutes)

Find your own space in the room

Close your eyes – find your bodies centre, be balanced evenly on both feet, inhale deeply through the nose & exhale through the mouth letting out a sigh (letting go of the days stresses & worries) Repeat 2 more times, filling the belly & high up into the chest…. breathe.

Now I want you to think about how you feel right at this very moment…

How have your feelings changed from when you walked into Prana house this evening till now…?

Are you tired, happy, emotional, uplifted, inspired?

Now embody this feeling of how you feel right now.

Where in your body do you feel this most? Be specific , do you feel it in the chest, R leg, L hand, L shoulder? Really feel this feeling in your body.

Now I want you to create one single movement that represents this feeling to you… it can be as abstract, simple, large or small just make it your own.

Once you have found this one single movement I want you to gradually allow it to enlarge… to grow.. now move it into the space… let it travel.

Now gradually I want you to bring this movement back… let it dissolve.

Let it distil to simply an essence of your feeling, so that it almost, but not quite becomes nothing…may be a flick of a finger, a gentle sway etc.

Find a stillness.

Now open your eyes lets make these two movements concrete.

Present your large movement/ now present a distilled version of that movement.

(5mins)

Hold onto that and lets make two circles in the centre of the space. One inner facing out & one outer facing in to the other group.

Section #2

(Explain First before they start)

Create two circles one inner (mover) & one outer (witness)…. Facing someone.

Inner group present your one distilled movement, repeat it three times.

Other group receives/witness…. Then centre group closes their eyes.

Taking your time…Outer group goes around the circle one by one sending the inner group a touch (with no words) to each person in the inner circle, giving thanks for their company, support & inspiration to throughout the day.

When you have made your way around the whole circle you should return in front of your partner, stand back until they slowly open their eyes.

Groups swap, then repeat.

(5mins)

Time to talk & share thoughts on the process.