XiaoChuan Xie

This course, intended for students interested in exploring dance as a restorative act of living, will introduce the existential and social-neurological significance of dance in forming and sustaining human societies and collectively investigate the course inquiry: In the face of suffering and discordance, can we restore hope and connection through dance? Students will learn a diverse map of dance/movement practices categorized by Dance and Suffering, Dance and Joy, and Dance and Community, exploring how dance has historically and culturally shaped interpersonal understanding and community building. Under each theme, the class will share and witness each other’s ancestral and cultural dance/movement rituals through intermodal art making to further expand one’s embodied knowledge of dance as a restorative act of living. No prior dance or arts experiences are required.

This course will combine 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.

As part of the requirements for the degree, students must complete 700 hours of clinical training in the second year of study. The spring semester comprises approximately 350 training hours at an off-campus internship site.

This course is a continuation of Clinical Internship Practicum I (DMTP 7106). Students will continue to deepen their comprehension of dance/movement therapy theory, as well as to expand and hone their clinical skills. Through the sharing of real-life experiences from their internship settings, students will continue to explore topics such as professionalism, supervision, transference, countertransference, and kinesthetic empathy, thus bridging theory and practice. Through group discussion, movement experientials, written papers, and in-class presentations, students will continue to practice their therapeutic skills and deepen their understanding of dance/movement therapy.

This course, intended for students interested in exploring dance as a restorative act of living, will introduce the existential and social-neurological significance of dance in forming and sustaining human societies and collectively investigate the course inquiry: In the face of suffering and discordance, can we restore hope and connection through dance? Students will learn a diverse map of dance/movement practices categorized by Dance and Suffering, Dance and Joy, and Dance and Community, exploring how dance has historically and culturally shaped interpersonal understanding and community building. Under each theme, the class will share and witness each other’s ancestral and cultural dance/movement rituals through intermodal artmaking in order to further expand one’s embodied knowledge of dance as a restorative act of living. No prior dance or arts experiences are required.

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, practice group leadership, and receive group and individual supervision of their work. In the first year, 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, which must be completed before the second-year clinical internship.

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, practice group leadership, and 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.

This course 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 course 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 courses on movement observation and assessment skills 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.