Susan Orkand

This course combines reading, discussion, and a supervisory lens to support fieldwork placements in a clinical setting. The course is designed to provide the student with professional orientation and direct exposure to dance/movement therapy practice, an orientation to health and educational systems, and an understanding of the role and function of the dance/movement therapist within each system.

This is the first part of a four-semester, process-oriented course that functions as a laboratory in which to study the methods and theory of dance/movement therapy. This course integrates didactic, experiential, and collaborative learning methods, both remotely and in the studio.  Elements of global, cultural, and anthropological perspectives of dance that are inherent in each student will be explored. Exploring one’s “dance identity” will help form a foundation for developing an inclusive and culturally humble approach to the therapeutic process in dance/movement therapy. Self-awareness, uncovering bias and preferences, exploring empathy, and one’s personal background will all be examined, both individually and interpersonally. 

This second course in a series of four on the methods and theory of dance/movement therapy for clinical practice is dedicated to learning about early dance/movement therapists, with a historical perspective of the beginnings of the profession of dance/movement therapy. Integrated throughout the semester will be readings and discussions about world dance, diaspora dance, and multicultural dance—all of which greatly influenced our understanding of dance as a healing and therapeutic art for both individuals and communities prior to the development of dance/movement therapy as a profession. The most salient aspect of this course will be the movement-based experiences in class that help students embody the essence of the theory and practice of dance/movement therapy. Embodying the “felt experience” of foundational body-movement principles will help students develop an understanding of how each person’s personal experience is woven into common conceptual and kinesthetic frameworks rooted in developmental and integrative movement.

This third course in a series of four on the methods and theory of dance/movement therapy for clinical practice will focus on the experience of embodiment and on broadening and deepening the students’ practice of dance/movement therapy, as we examine cultural, spiritual, and socioeconomic perspectives on dance and healing.

This final course in the series of four on the methods and theory of dance/movement therapy for clinical practice will examine clinical applications of expressive arts modalities—such as art, music, poetry, and drama—for the purpose of understanding their relationship to dance/movement therapy and how they can be used in conjunction with dance/movement therapy to enhance and support treatment interventions. We will also examine the use of the artistic elements of dance—such as choreography and performance—to support a variety of mental and physical health goals. The course will have several visiting faculty with expertise in the arts and creative-arts therapies.

Each student in the dance/movement therapy program is required to complete a thesis project. The thesis provides the opportunity to integrate, using research methods, theory from multiple disciplines, existing literature in dance/movement therapy, and personal experience. This course will offer students the structure to apply what they have learned in the Research Methods course toward developing their own research project, with the goal of completing and submitting a research prospectus and outline. Group support, consultation, and technical assistance will be provided in class.

Group support, consultation, and technical assistance will be provided in this class for students who will be working with their thesis advisors and second readers to continue the work begun in Graduate Thesis I and to complete their final thesis project.

This class is the first in a series of three on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to familiarize the student with the Laban concepts and principles for the observation and description of movement, integrating other relevant perspectives for understanding human movement. Students will learn to embody and observe foundational components of physical action by exploring concepts in the categories of body, effort, space, and shape. Laban Movement Analysis provides insight into one’s personal movement preferences and increases awareness of what and how movement communicates and expresses. In addition—through readings, movement experimentation, and discussion—students will explore the principles of the Bartenieff Fundamentals, which involve concepts such as movement initiation and sequencing, connectivity, weight transference, spatial intent, effort intent, and breath support. These fundamental ideas, when present in movement, develop dynamic alignment, coordination, strength, flexibility, mobility, kinesthetic awareness, and expression and also help facilitate relationship.

The class is the second in a series of three on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to familiarize the student with additional movement observation systems through readings, movement exploration, and discussion. Students will explore the implications of the use of movement observation systems for working with vulnerable populations and the important considerations of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the therapeutic space.

This course is the third in a series of three classes on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to integrate Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals and to introduce additional methods for movement observation beyond those particular systems. Students will understand how movement observation paradigms can be applied to dance/movement therapy clinical practice, professional conversations, documentation, and research.

This course is an introduction to the study of human movement/kinesiology and human anatomy. Students will gain a beginning understanding of key systems in the human body and their integral effect on functional and expressive behavior. Key anatomical landmarks and features will be highlighted in the context of both common and individual choices and characteristics. Students will explore how understanding the different body systems aids in movement observation and intervention.

Clinical Fieldwork Orientation combines course work to support fieldwork placements in a clinical setting. This course is designed to provide the student with professional orientation and direct exposure to dance/movement therapy practice, an orientation to health and educational systems, and an understanding of the role and function of the dance/movement therapist within each system. Hours earned in clinical fieldwork placement are not counted toward the clinical internship requirement of 700 hours.

This is the first in a four-part series of process-oriented seminars, which function as a laboratory for the study of dance/movement therapy methods and theory. In this course, we combine didactic, experiential and collaborative learning to examine the historical, cultural and clinical aspects of DMT. Students will learn about DMT pioneers, their theoretical contributions and the relationship of DMT to the origins and development of psychology. They will also be introduced to foundational movement-based techniques intrinsic to the practice of DMT as they begin to develop a common conceptual and kinesthetic framework rooted in developmental and integrative movement.

This is the second part of a four-semester process-oriented course that functions as a laboratory in which to study the methods and theory of DMT. It will combine didactic, experiential and collaborative learning as it builds on the first semester to synthesize dance/movement therapy practice with knowledge of human development, for application in various clinical circumstances. Students will learn techniques of practice specific to clinical populations, such as children, adolescents, the physically ill and/or those coping with aging, physical disabilities, mental illness, addiction disorders, or are survivors of physical and/or emotional trauma.

This course is the third in a series of four on the methods and theory of dance/movement therapy for clinical practice. Our focus will be on the experience of embodiment and on broadening and deepening the students’ practice of dance/movement therapy as we examine cultural, spiritual, and socioeconomic perspectives on dance and healing.

This course will examine clinical applications of expressive arts modalities such as art, music, poetry, and drama for the purpose of understanding their relationship to DMT and how they can be used in conjunction with DMT to enhance and support treatment interventions. We will also examine the use of the artistic elements of dance such as choreography and performance to support a variety of mental and physical health goals. The course will have several visiting faculty with expertise in the arts and the creative arts therapies.

This class is the first in a series of three on movement observation and assessment skills and is designed to familiarize the student with the Laban concepts and principles for the observation and description of movement, integrating other relevant perspectives for understanding human movement. Students will learn to embody and observe foundational components of physical action by exploring concepts in the categories of body, effort, space, and shape. Laban Movement Analysis provides insight into one’s personal movement preferences and increases awareness of what and how movement communicates and expresses. In addition—through readings, movement experimentation, and discussion—students will explore the principles of the Bartenieff Fundamentals, which involve concepts such as movement initiation and sequencing, connectivity, weight transference, spatial intent, effort intent, and breath support. These fundamental ideas, when present in movement, develop dynamic alignment, coordination, strength, flexibility, mobility, kinesthetic awareness, and expression and also help facilitate relationship.

Movement Observation III serves as a continuation of the course work in Movement Observation I and II. Movement Observation III introduces the fundamentals of the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP), a theoretically-based assessment tool that examines psychological development through body movement. Students’ understanding of Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and its application in the therapeutic process is deepened with the addition of KMP as part of the movement development, relationship, learning, and psychological process. Additionally, ways of organizing observations and developing targeted assessments utilizing KMP will be considered. Students will also learn about current theories in neuroscience and their relation to movement observation.

Fieldwork provides opportunities for students to be exposed to an early childhood setting and to observe the role of the dance/movement therapist in that setting. Students will observe and interact with children ages six months to five years, with the goal of gaining a greater understanding of the physical, social, and emotional development that occurs during this period of growth. Additionally, students will participate in dance/movement therapy sessions and practice group leadership and also receive group and individual supervision of their work. For this first year of placement, students are expected to be participant observers, actively observing and engaging in the process of dance/movement therapy without the full responsibility of a leadership role. Students are required to complete 200 fieldwork hours in the first year of training. Those fieldwork hours must be completed before beginning the clinical internship.