Primitive Expression and Dance Therapy: When dancing heals

by France Schott-Billmann

Overview

This book provides a rigorous and comprehensive account of primitive expression in dance therapy, focusing on the use of rhythm and exploring the therapeutic potential inherent in the diverse traditions of popular dance, from tribal shamanic dance to styles such as rock, rap and hip-hop strongly present in our contemporary society.

Drawing on the author’s vast experience in the field of dance therapy, the book examines biological, psychological and anthropological foundations of rhythm based therapies, considering their roots in biological rhythms such as the heartbeat and using such rhythms in therapy. Chapters include:

• The link between animal and man: ethology
• Shamanism
• Gestural symmetry coupling with the other
• Bilateralism as structuring dialogue
• Rhythm dance therapy
• New fields in the application of dance therapy.

Clinical examples are provided throughout the book to comprehensively demonstrate how dance rhythm therapy can contribute to the use of the arts therapies. It offers a fresh perspective for researchers, psychotherapists and clinicians who want to use dance therapy techniques, as well as arts therapists and those who want to learn more about artistic and cultural dance.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781317448822
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/05/2014
Series:	Explorations in Mental Health
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	194
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

France Schott-Billmann, PhD, is a Psychoanalyst, Dance Therapist and Dance Researcher. She was Program Leader within the Performing Arts section of the Arts Therapy Program at University Paris 5 Descartes in Paris for 20 years until 2011, where she now teaches dance therapy to masters students. She worked with adolescent psychotic patients in the CEREP psychiatric hospital in Paris for 15 years. At present she works at Bellan Hospital in Paris with patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease. She teaches in various training programs in Europe and leads workshops all around the globe.　

Table of Contents

Introduction

PART ONE: OUR LINK TO THE WORLD

Chapter 1 Human-World Unity

A Plural Body

Dance and Neuroscience

Brain plasticity

The Memory of the Body

Rhythmic Patterns as Substitute Behaviours

Chapter 2 The link between Animal and Man: Ethology

Mirroring, Imitation and Simulacra

Non-Verbal Language

Playing

Rituals

Chapter 3 Humanization of Homo

The Origin of Humanity According to Paleontology

The Culture, a Second World

PART TWO: TRADITIONAL DANCE THERAPY

Chapter 4 Dances of Trance

The Trance of Possession

Therapeutic Possession

Dances of Possession

Enthusiasm

Chapter 5 Shamanism

Universality and the Persistence of Shamanism

An invisible World

The Shaman

A Shaman’s Therapeutic Tools

The Shamanic Cure

PART THREE: THE HUMANIZING PROCESS

Chapter 6 The Universe of Fusion and its Dangers

The Permeable Body

Primary Narcissism

The Body Image

Psychosis

Autism

Chapter 7 Between Two

Intermediary Space

Transitional Creativity

Repetition in Rhythm Dance Therapy

Duplicating

Chapter 8 Gestural Symmetry Coupling with the Other

Symmetry in Rites, Games and Dances

The Dynamic Sources of Gestural Symmetry

The Corporeal Foundations of Gestural Symmetry

Gestural Symmetry in Dance

Restoring the Link

Application in the Treatment of Psychotic and Autistic Patients

The Therapeutic Treasure of Oral Cultures: Bilateralism

Chapter 9 Bilateralism as Structuring Dialogue

The pair Call-Reply

The Calling Power of Archetypes

The Pairing of Opposites

Chapter 10 Symbolization

Descending to the Underworld

The Liberating Rhythm

The Separation from the Animal Kingdom

Fort-Da ‘Dance’

The Paternal function

PART FOUR: THERAPEUTIC PROCESS

Chapter 11 The healing process

The Creation of meaning

Symbolic reorganization

Pacifying, Mastering and Structuring

Sublimation

Primitive Aesthetics　

Chapter 12 Rhythm Dance Therapy

Popular Dances for Therapeutic Mediation

Rhythm Dance Therapy using Primitive Expression

Therapeutic Tools in Primitive Expression

Ethics

Chapter 13 New fields in the Application of Dance Therapy

The Social Field and Dancing for Peace

Clinical Applications: Neurological Disorders

Conclusion

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX