Syllabus
Dance Movement Therapy
TERM: SPRING – 2024
Jan 12 – Apr 27
University of Miami
Frost School of Music – Dance Program
DAN 291 C (6769) / Dance Movement Therapy – 3 units
Meeting time: Monday and Wednesday 10:00 AM - 11:15 AM
Location: Wellness Center / Studio : Multi B
Jorge Luis Morejón, Ph.D.
Office hours: Mo & Wen 11:20AM – 12:20 PM
Email: j.morejon@umiami.edu
Academic Calendar: https://registrar.miami.edu/_assets/pdf/academic-calendar-spring-2026.pdf
Bulletin Description:
DAN 291 – C is a course designed to introduce students to the use of dance and movement as psychotherapy. It is based on the assumption that whatever it is in one’s mind is expressed through one’s body. The course combines practice and theory in order to convey basic principles of dance and movement such as: relationships, communication and expression. In addition, the course touches on theoretical concepts and practical applications of dance/movement therapy in a therapeutic context by engaging students in dance and movement improvisational exercises.
Prerequisites: There is no prerequisite and the course welcomes students who have no previous experience in dance as well as those who do.
Course Objectives / Students will be able to:
· Understand the theory and practice of dance/movement therapy
· Apply some basic principles of movement observation.
· Develop therapeutic relationships in movement.
Instructional Methodology: Lecture, demonstration
Required text: No text is required
Assignments:
Journal Writing and Discussion
Group Leading
Individuation
Case Study Group Presentation
Vocabulary Quizzes
Grading Breakdown:
Attendance and Participation 30 %
Journal Writing 10%
Group Leading 10%
Individuation 10%
Case Study Group Presentation 20%
Vocabulary Quizzes 1 & 2 10% Each
Attendance 30 %
You are expected to participate in each session by actively engaging with the class material. Every class you earn 1 point towards your total. Please, come to class both on time and prepared by wearing something easy that lets you move within your limit.
Journal Writing 10%
Every class, you will write a short reflection on your personal experience in class.
Group Leading 10%
You will have the opportunity to lead a group in order to apply all the information covered in class.
Individuation 10%
The creation of a personal story in movement, dance, and voice, will be an important way to frame your life experiences and learn from them.
Case Study Group Presentation 20%
This group assignment will allow you to focus on a specific DMT strategy depending on the diagnosis of your choice.
2 Vocabulary Quizzes 10% Each
DAN 291 – C / CLASS SCHEDULE
Week 1 – 16 Topic/Activity Assigned Reading
WEEK 1
Monday
Jan 12 Introductions
Syllabus
Structure of Class
Overview of Course
Wednesday
Jan 14 WHAT IS DMT?
DANCE HEALS
Mass Body/Rock Concert / Halprin’s Planetary Dance/Sufi Male Dance
The SCORE, THE CIRCLE, THE PULSATION, The GROUP BODY
Meekums, Bonnie. Dance Movement Therapy: A Creative Psychotherapeutic Approach. SAGE, 2002
The Profession of DMT (ADTA Website)
Chiklin, Sharon and Hilda Wengrower.
The Art and Science of Dance/Movement Therapy: Life Is Dance. Routledge, 2015
In Class:
Name movement Exercise
MOVEMENT PRINCIPLES
WEEK 2
Monday
Jan 19
Holiday - MLK Day
Wednesday
Jan 21 THE DANCE RITUAL
CULTURAL DANCE, SOCIAL DANCE
8 Healing Principles of Dance Therapy
JOINING, REFLECTING (MIRRORING) & ATTUNEMENT
Theory and Practice (Movement Analysis / Laban Cube)
In Class: Exploring Shapes in Space
Bartenieff Fundamentals
WEEK 3
Monday
Jan 26 DANCE MOVEMENT RITUAL: REMEMBERING THE BODEY
Wednesday
Jan 28 Relationship-building
Theory and Practice (Eight Effort Actions)
Finding your movement preference activity
WEEK 4
Monday
Feb 2 VIDEO: THE POWER OF MOVEMENT
Wednesday
Feb 4 MARIAN CHACE: THE CHACIAN CIRCLE
Chace’s Approach to Dance
(Dance is Communication)
WEEK 5
Monday
Feb 9 LABAN’S CUBE
Wednesday
Feb 11 DMT FOR PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS
WEEK 6
Monday
Feb 16 REVIEW AND QUIZ
SELF PORTRAIT: EMBPODYING AWARENESS AND REINTEGRATION
Wednesday TRUDI SCHOOP: INNERMOST FANTASY
Feb 18
Body-Ego Technique
Theory and Practice
Inner-Directed Movement.
Improvisation and Projective Techniques
Theory and Practice
Midterm Reporting Begins
Wednesday
Feb 25
TRUDI SCHOOP: RHYTHM DRUMMING
Mar 2 TRUDI SCHOOP: INNERMOST FANTAS
Wednesday
Mar 4 THE TOOL BOX OF MOVEMENT INTEGRATION
WEEK 9
SPRING RECESS (Mar 8 – 16)
WEEK 10
Wednesday
Mar 18 BLANCH EVAN: METHODOLOGY & PRAXIS
WEEK 12
WEEK 13
WEEK 14
Monday
April 20 PRESENTATIONS
Creative Project (Groups will present on a DMT topic)
Wednesday
April 22 PRESENTATIONS
Creative Project (Groups will present on a DMT topic
WEEK 16
Monday
April 27 PENDING WORK IS DUE
SELF-REFLECTIVE ESSAY IS DUE
LAST DAY OF CLASS
ATENTION
In the event that the University of Miami’s campus closes unexpectedly for an extended period of time due to a hurricane, pandemic, or other emergency situation that prevents this course from meeting in person, students should be prepared to continue their learning remotely through Blackboard and other platforms.
Students are expected to check their UM email account and course Blackboard sites regularly for communications with me and the rest of the class, and to the extent feasible, continue participating in their courses from their off-campus location by the alternate means determined by me in coordination and agreement with you.
In the event that no internet or electricity is available, a course pack will be provided to students to continue working on their own until communication is restored and/or campus life is back to normal.
NOTE
Investigating Mindfulness Infused DMT, a project led by graduate student Malena Price, will be introduced to the students on February 19. The mindful session will begin 10 min. after class starts. We will intro the practice by reading a disclaimer provided by Price. The project will begin 3 weeks prior to Spring Recess and 3 weeks after it. The first three weeks the emphasis will be on “coming back to the breath.” The first week students will focus on attention, the second on mindful walking and the third on body scan. At the end of every session two students will share two words that come to mind when the mindful practice is finished. The whole session will last 10 – 15 minutes.
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