Dancing your way to inner well-being

Past experiences or traumatic thoughts can interfere with your lives, silently hindering your daily existence; but through dance movement psychotherapy you can take control.

Audra Micallef, a dance and psychotherapist, believes that through movement people can come in touch with their feelings and increase their self-esteem.

Ms Micallef, who specialised in dance therapy when she read for an MA on the subject at the City of London University, will start providing this form of therapy, the first of its kind on the island, from October 11 for small groups of 10.

The course will consist of 10 sessions once a week between 6.30-8.30 p.m., and will be held at the Drama Unit's dance studio at Blata l-Bajda.

The first session will help participants get to know each other and become familiar with their feelings and thoughts. The course is intended to help participants become more aware of how individual movement patterns affect the way they feel, think and relate with others.

The course allows them to explore the different types of movements and in so doing rediscover a part of themselves. The basic premise of this therapy is that the body and mind are in constant reciprocal interaction.

"By carefully observing movement patterns we gain important information about a person's feelings, attitudes and unconscious processes," she said in an interview.

Ms Micallef assures those toying with the idea of signing up for the course that this therapy has nothing to do with being a dancer.

"In dance therapy we are not interested in movement for its own sake. Movement is seen as a function that serves to move us towards completion and wholeness," she said.

"The goals of the work are individual and personal. Some want to feel better about themselves; to improve their body image; reduce tension and anxiety; to increase gracefulness and coordination; to develop social skills; to improve on relationships; to develop playfulness and spontaneity; increase overall level of energy; or enjoy being with others."

Dance movement psychotherapy is said to have started as a concept in the US in the 1940s, when dance was becoming an individual expression of getting in touch with feelings.

The origins of dance as healing art lie in ancient history. Throughout the ages people have danced to express powerful emotions, to treat illness, to pray, to celebrate important events and to maintain communal bonds.

Dance movement therapy is founded on knowledge of psychology and psychotherapy, the human body, the nervous system, movement analysis and dance.

Whenever we feel and think, this affects body movement. It is almost impossible to walk tall and open, yet feel down, or to move crouched and slouched and have a healthy, positive outlook.

As a trained observer Ms Micallef can pick out and differentiate between movements that are a defence against a particular feeling or experience, and direct and genuine expressions of needs and feelings.

Those who wish to sign up for the course can call Ms Micallef on 9988 0644 information or send an e-mail to audramicallef@hotmail.com.