Dance therapy started in the United States in the 1960s. Much of the original work was done by Marian Chance, a psychiatrist who studied how dance could help impact war veterans suffering with mental health problems. But it was first known to be researched and reported in 1916 by Carl Gustav Jung. The idea is to use movement and specifically dance to improve mental health and wellbeing and is based on the fundamental belief that the mind, body and spirit are connected.

 

Dance has evolved in every culture as a way of human expression, connection and communication. Dance therapists believe that movement/dance is a non-verbal way of communication and may be as important as verbal communication. This is especially helpful in patients who are unable to communicate verbally like in autism. With these patients, dance therapists will mirror the autistic patients movements and sounds connecting with them and allowing the patient to become more aware of other people. This can increase eye contact, decrease social isolation and allow a non-verbal patient to connect in a way they were unable to.

 

A lot of work has gone into the use of dance therapy in Alzheimer’s. Research has shown that exercise that requires coordination actually increases hippocampal volume in older patients. This is particularly important because loss of volume in this structure has been thought to be a part of memory impairment in diseases like Alzheimers. A study done at Columbia University stated that dance constitutes a “pleasure double play.” Music stimulates the brain’s reward centers, while dance activates its sensory and motor circuits.’ Group movement like in Zumba combines this type of movement with social engagement. This can help patients trigger old memories and increase a sense of belonging and self-esteem. 

 

The physiology behind these happy emotions is dance activation allows for the release of serotonin- a feel good hormone that helps reduce stress. Release of serotonin can help form connections necessary for memory and executive functioning affecting focus, calmness and happiness. This is why dance therapy is being used for the treatment of anxiety. The focus on dance can allow the mind to simplify and determine a productive way to deal with stress. Anecdotally, I have danced at a nursing home and even taught some basic steps to the elderly. People who were inanimate in wheelchairs at the beginning of my performance were smiling and interacting with me by the end. This stimulation of the brain was clearly evident by their social interactions. So make sure you dance before your next exam and keep dancing through life to stay healthy!