#hes the dance teacher uvu

[doeneb]

May j have your permission to put my oc(Miss Roslyn/Mary Roslyn) in the UniversityOfHome Au?

Of course! I don't have a lot of rules for it and you can be practically anything in the au!

Only rules so far:

• If you are a teacher please put a lanyard/ID on the character and have the school's "UH" logo somewhere on the outfit!

That's about it do far lol

But yeah go wild ❤️

(Remember to read the tags! I ramble in there so posts aren't too long and put information in there!)

[fairestwriting]

Hey lis, hope you're doing okay!

I hope this isn't too vague but i would like to request for a s/o with the dorm leaders playing a rhythm game, who would get pissed, who wouldn't? Maybe some cute cute snuggly parts too if you don't mind 😭 Have a lovely day~

hihi! im doing just fine, thank you for the sweet words uvu <3 hope you enjoy your food anon!

Riddle Rosehearts

Yeah, Riddle sucks. He knows he does, and he’s endlessly embarrassed by it, and by how quickly he gets heated about missing the notes.

He reckons it’s inelegant to be losing his cool over something that’s meant to be just for fun, but look at that damn note, he totally tapped it, why is it saying he missed here? This is so unfair.

Gets tired of the game after a while of playing with you, puts his phone down and huffs, cheeks flushed. He’s sulking there. He does enjoy watching you play, though , especially if you’re good.

Leona Kingscholar

Doesn’t really play games in general, doesn’t have the patience for them. Leona’s not bad, but he’s so easily irritated with the game, it’s actually funny.

Leona plays half-heartedly until he’s not doing that well, then he starts getting competitive with himself, maybe with you too if you start taunting him. And he gets serious pretty fast.

When he’s tired of not doing perfectly at the game, he’ll say he’s tired in general, and resign himself to watching, much like Riddle. Continuously grumbles about how stupid the game is, but praises you in his own way if you’re good at it.

Azul Ashengrotto

Idia has shown him a couple of the rhythm games he likes during board game club meetings, so he’s not fully unfamiliar with them. He’s a pretty good player too, nothing on competitor level, but he can score decent combos.

You can have a genuine healthy competition with him over these. Azul doesn’t get that invested in games like these, especially if he’s playing with someone who’s close to him as you are, so you two are bound to have a pretty fun time.

He’s the one you can have a comfy sort of date surrounding that with, both of you snuggled up and playing together in silence, sans from the few swears muttered under your breath when you mess up your combos.

Kalim Al-Asim

Kalim has played a couple rhythm games before! He usually likes the sort that have you actually dancing, though.

But Kalim is generally a good person to play any sort of games with, even if you, or he, is bad at the game in question, his positive attitude is contagious, so you’ll definitely have fun.

Laughs off any missed combos, cheers for you (A little too enthusiastically, maybe) when you’re doing well. Just an all around good time, as all time with Kalim is.

Vil Schoenheit

He isn’t very experienced with those games, but he does just fine. He’s a graceful loser when he doesn’t, too... most of the time.

You���ll find Vil’s posture regarding the game quite elegant for a while, staring at the screen with those sharp, focused eyes. Then he misses his combo, and he huffs dramatically, dropping the phone on the table.

...he apologizes for losing his cool, of course, and builds himself back up easily, but then it gets hard to miss how his eyebrows furrow with each missed note. Truth is, he’s trying really hard not to get angry at the game, and he wants to play until he gets good at it, but it’s so frustrating.

Idia Shroud

You were waiting for this one — Yes, Idia is very good at them, and he gets very pissed in the few occasions he makes mistakes.

Idia is very passionate about his favorite rhythm games, of course. He probably even proposed a date based on them, picking the one he’s the best at to make sure he impresses you with his skills.

He’ll teach you the ins and outs of it pretty decently if he has to, but as soon as he gets into it, he’s burning far too bright to be a good teacher, swearing profusely upon each missed combo. He’s fun to compete with, though, and won’t be genuinely mad at you, it’s just force of habit.

Malleus Draconia

God help you... Malleus is awful with electronics, of course he’d end up being awful at rhythm games too. You were both expecting it, really.

He just can’t really... follow how the game works. His response time to tapping the notes is way off, the visuals behind what he has to press are distracting, he tries not to complain but he just has no idea what he is doing.

Malleus is another one who’s more of a watcher. If you want to show your skills off to him, he’ll be delighted to watch them! Just... he’s not gonna be a good player, don’t make him play the thing.

if you wanna support my work, you can buy me a ko-fi or commission me!

[theblackbirdsgemimagines]

Ramble away, cause I feel the twisted head rot, I kinda wanna see what you think about our bois. ~ a pocket sized dragon hops in excitement.

A POCKET SIZED DWAGOOOOOONNNN 😭💞💞💞 That’s so BLESSED, and tysm omg, I’m very glad to just spill out my barking on every boy, bc yEAH THE BRAIN ROT SKDHAKDB

THE BRAIN ROT IS SO REAL LOL

Everything I breathe ends up relating to TWST in some way, like at this point just let me take my friends, cousins, and pets, and of course Lulu and Seb, and I will have 1. A Gottdamned Harem, 2. So Many Children, and 3. NEVER WANT TO LEAVE. Kwfhskdhjwek

Ok this is gonna be long bc I gotta cover all my boys, so rip lol.

Dorm Leads:

Riddle

GOD, my Fucking Baby, my CHILD, my SWEET BABY BOY, I’M 👁💧👄💧👁

I would die for him, beetch, he is PRECIOUS ♥️

He reminds me of how I feel Ciel would behave if S/O took the place as Sebastian’s contracee, too, so like 🥺 Lots of feels 😭

Is Son, I have adopted him now. If you mistreat him, don’t ever speak to me or my son ever again. I’ll FIGHT his MOM, don’t TEST me. I’m his new mom now. His BIRD mom. So proud of him, he’s like...one of the few that’s actually shown growth in canon after his overblot kshdkadjs

Leona

👁💧👄💧👁

.....I am a Mere Simp....

Ya’ll.... I swearh to ghOD I simped hard for Scar back when I was a wee thing, I did NOT expect to simp for him AGAIN LATER IN LIFE, what the FUCK aidhskdhskdj

Like shit bitch, damn, you may not be king of Afterglow honey, but you can be king of my heart if you wAnt to bb....

Leona: *smiles once, even if it’s smugly*

Me: *WEEPING* Look at hiiiiiiim!! My sunshine booooooy! 😭

Does this make me a furry

Probably

I am too Simp to Care Anymore

I HESITATED TO GET ATTACHED BC THIS BOY LOOKS LIKE A FUCKIN WOMANIZER IF I EVER SAW ONE, BUT HE DRINKS HIS RESPECT WOMEN JUICE EVERY SINGLE MORNING AND I WAS A GONNER SNDJAJDHSJ

FUCK

Call me a Herbivore again, bully me //SLAPPED

Azul

He secretly a lil shit sometimes, but tha’s ok, it’s mostly in a silly way, especially post overblot~ UvU

The sweetest bby everytime I read fanposts on him, like god, ah 💜💜💜 WHOMST COULD BULLY SUCH A CUTE CHUBBY OCTOBABY I’LL FIGHT ALL OF EM!! A sweetheart 10/10 would be his friend 💗 Not making contracts with him tho, lol

...ok maybe SOME after his overblot, but they’re able to be easily reversed now, so it’s way more chill andhsjdj

Kalim

FUCK!!!! F U C K!!!! BABYYYYYYY!!!! BABY!!!! I HAVE ADOPTED HIM IF YOU TOUCH HIM YOU D I E

He is literally so sweet, anytime anyone was like “you’re so nice it’s annoying” I WAS READY TO COME FLYING IN TO BITCH SLAP THEM LIKE AJDHSKDHSJ (even if I also loved them lol)

Like NO you are WRONG whfksjd

He has also grown so much, and I am proud ♥️🧡

Vil

Jesus Christ, canon Vil is Hurting Meeeeee ajdhskdhsj

My fave fanon Vil is the one that recognizes all different types of beauty, though~ uvu and is v encouraging to anyone that may be struggling with self hatred 💜

Canon: Vil is pretty~.

Me: Wow, wtf???? He IS so pretty... How rude I didn’t think you were serious! Wow him??? Pretty??? Wow??? Wow...

Idia

I’m not sure yet, as I haven’t seen him very often, but of the few times that I have: BIG same, huge mood, and Me FUCKING Too, goddamn akdhakdj

Idia is my Anxiety and Anime Nerd personified tbh lol

What Ortho is to him are what all my comfort characters are to me, honestly.

Like what would you like bby, you want that singing voice?? Ok here comes a synthesizer just special for you~. Ily, mwah~ u3u 💕

Malleus

HEAVY BREATHING

Ok maybe it’s just the lack of story/info out on him yet, but I don’t currently simp as hard for him compared to Leona, I’ll admit jajdkajd

BUT BOY HOWDEY DO I EVER STILL S I M P...

He Is Baby... And I Lob Him....

I am going to smooch those horns and forehead crown of beautiful scales 🖤🖤🖤 I am going to do it!!!! Here I go!!!

HE CAN HAVE ALL THE ICE CREAM AND TAMAGATCHI DATES HE WANTS I’M- 😭

This man is too precious for words, and I have so much childhood nostelgia to ‘enchanted’ woods, and being in the mountains, so he has Old Fae Friend vibes to me~🖤

DRAGON FORM DRAGON FORM DRAGON FORM DRAGON FORM DRAGON F-

Ngl I ship him and Leona a lil bit lol

No, not just bc that makes a poly with my two faves easier, but that is a bonus factor jadhajdj

Vice Dorm Heads:

Trey

Oh my god, the Daddy to my Mommy with all these newly adopted lil kids of ours, ya know??? What a wholesome sweetie and funny lil shit jahdksdh~

I love him, I would gladly make tarts with, AND for him 💚💚💚

The kind of boi who I’d ship HARD with anyone he started dating bc My God it would warm my heart So Much 💞💞

Ruggie (unofficial but may as well be at this point lol)

He took a while to grow on me kadhskdhsj

But I think he’d be a sweet, if a trouble-maker of a friend to have~.

Dank you for taking care of my sweet lion bby, honey, I’m sure Farrena is a sweetheart, but boi I hope he gets his shit together to fix up where Ruggie lives 😭

I think if I met his granny, I’d CRY jadhajsh 💗💗

Leech Twins (?)

Idk if they’re vice leaders, but who cares lol

THESE are the older Big Brothers in every sense of the word. (My canon ages most everyone up just a bit, save for Riddle, Ace, Deuce, Kalim, Jamil, Cheka, and anyone already 20+)

The ANNOYING older big brothers, lol.

The ones that hug you to death (Floyd), or use you for an arm rest (Jade), and specifically Do the thing you asked/told them NOT to Do.

This is fine with me tho, I’m an only child, please give me the experience of annoying older brothers lol 💙💚

Jamil

I used to hate you bby, I’m so sorry akdhskdhs

I’ve adopted him now, and I’m v proud he’s trying, but making clear what his boundaries are, and trying to come out of a shell he was made to be in for so long 😭

AND HIS DANCING IS SICK LIKE HONESTLY I’M SUCH A PROUD MOM 💗💗💗

Rook

God. FUCKING Rook, lol.

IDK IF I SHOULD TRUST YOU, but I also kinda wanna be your friend akdhakdjs

HE CONCERNS ME but he also seems nice and v sweet sometimes, lmao

Blz don’t stalk me tho 😬

STOP SHOOTING YOUR ARROWS AROUND SCHOOL YOU BLOODY HEATHEN FRENCH PRISS, YOU ARE GOING TO KILL SOMEONE

Also, if he DARES hunt cute animals around me, especially BIRDS, I am going to GRIP him jahdkahdsk

He’s like if Lord Druitt was a Little More Nice and a Little Bit Less Creepy ajdhak

Lilia:

GOD.

I LOVE THIS FUCKING GRANDPA.

I. FUCKING. LOVE. THIS FUCKING. GRANDPA.

I absolutely hc him as nonbinary w/masc pronouns, I absoLUTELY do.

I adore him, I love him, I haven’t gotten a squish (hardcore desire to be someone’s friend, lol) this hard for a character since AngelDust, I-

Pwease be nonbinary friends with me, Lilia 🥺

THE ONLY PERSON HERE SHORTER THAN ME, BUT I’LL TAKE IT AJDHAKDHJS

Anyone know Corpse and how he plays Among Us? That’s how I see Lilia playing his video games with friends and I JUST I JUST I J U S T

The Spencer to your Carly.

He and Crowley are free to compete as Dad with me too like honestly kshdkadjjs

He’ll always be granpa tho uvu 💚💖🖤

Extras:

Ace

God, the Fucking Annoying Middle Brother that pranks you ALL THE DAMN TIME, but I love him andhakdhsk

Deuce

THE BROTHER THAT WILL BEAT UP YOUR BULLIES 💙💙💙 SWEET BABY BOY

The Josh to Ace’s Drake. The Cody to Ace’s Zack. The Freddie to your Carly and Ace’s Sam.

If he and Ace started dating, tho, I would CRY.

But regardless who they end up dating, it’ll be slow burn friends to lovers, and literally the most adorable shit to watch EVER 💞💞💞😭

Cater

Seems Like A Womanizer But Actually Drinks His Reapect Women Juice And We Stan That 🧡

Can always count on him to help tou get the best Magicram shots, bless you Cater 🧡🧡

Also rly wanna be his friend, ngl 😭 Even IF he pranks me a lot kadhakdhsj

Jack:

H E AV Y BR EA T H IN G

Ngl my feelings for him are in the air IDK IF I WANNA SMOOCH OR NOT YET I JUST KNOW I LOB HIM HE GOODEST BESTEST BOY 💛💛💛😭

If all three Savannaclaw bois got in a cuddle pile with me, I would Not Be Mad

How can I give this boy love, tell me and I will Do It

Gift him all the cacti’s he WANTS💛

God he drinks that respecc women juice bright and early on his run every morning, you KNOW he does 💛💛💛

I wawnt to pet his ears an tail an fwuffy wolf form 😭

I WAWNT TO SEE THE BOY SMILE AND BE HAPPY 💞💞💞

Sebek

CHILL CHILL CHILL CHILL CH-

He is a v devoted guard tho, we love to see it UvU

I don’t have more info on him hekdhskdj but his fanmade content seems v v sweet~ 💚

Silver

HE ATTRACTS BIRDS AND I CRY ABOUT IT PLEASE BE MY FRIEND AND TEACH ME HOW 🥺🥺🥺

Him being raised by Lilia and Malleus literally gives me so much Fucking Seratonin....... God 💞💕💗💗💞💞💗💗💕💞

Ortho

IS BABY????? IS BABY!!!!!! I’M LOVE HIM I’M ADOPTING HIM IS BABYYYYYYY 💙💙💙💙💙

Cheka:

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

He is so FUCKING CUTE what the FUCK!

Leonaaaaaaa... 🥺 Your NEPHEWWWWW 😭

I might steal him from Farrena tbh, lIKE MY CHILD NOW~ 🧡🧡

I just sob and hug him every time I see him honestly 😭

Teachers:

Dire Crowley

Ohhhhhh god oh god oh god

Be my dad. Please. Be my dad. PLEASE be my dad. Ya’ll think I’m joking, I’m not. Please adopt me. Fuck. Fuck. FUCK.

This man as a father gives me so much dopamine and oxytocin and seratonin??? I have been weeping for WEEKS, please adopt me, Sir

Fathers with zero braincells being wrapped around a daughter’s little finger makes me so weak, and I am just here with Daddy Issues like ajdhakdhsj BLEASE ADOPT ME MISTER BIRD MAN

Crewel

Ew.

Forgive me, I haven’t seen much content with him in it/that could be considered wholesome, bUT JADHWKDJSJ

UncoMFORTABLE

Please keep the kink talk out of the classroom, S I R

Call me puppy one more time, see what happens, I’m not scared to fight a teacher akdhakdhsj

Trein

The Dad Figure that tries to be the stern part to Crowley’s blumbering kahdkqrhsjdj

Don’t feel as much attachment to him emotionally, but I like him~

Just let me pet your cat sometimes and give you holiday presents, and we’re cool~ ♥️

Vargas

Found the womanizer //SMACKED

And of course, I can’t forget Grim~!

He’s grown on me, and if anything happens to him I will kill everyone in the room, and then myself 😭

I will pet and snuggle and hold him all he wants and feed him all the tuna his heart desires uvu 💙

[navyhearted]

1ST RULE: tag 9 muses you would like to know better.

2ND RULE: BOLD the statements that are true for your muse.

Tagged by: stolen from @tinymute uvu

Tagging: @skulltramarine / @cosmosfated & whoever else wants to uvu

MUSE: Sans “Bleu” Aster

OCCUPATION: Gay Stoner Mechanic

AGE: 28

SEXUALITY:  Pansexual

PRONOUNS:  he/him, they/them

APPEARANCE:

I am 5'7" or taller

I wear glasses

I have at least one tattoo

I have at least one piercing

I have blonde hair

I have brown eyes

I have short hair

My abs are at least somewhat defined

I have or have had braces

PERSONALITY:

I love meeting new people

People tell me that I’m funny

Helping others with their problems is a big priority for me

I enjoy physical challenges

I enjoy mental challenges

I’m playfully rude with people I know well

I started saying something ironically and now I can’t stop saying it

There is something I would change about my personality

ABILITY:

I can sing well

I can play an instrument

I can do over 30 pushups without stopping

I’m a fast runner

I can draw well

I have a good memory

I’m good at doing math in my head

I can hold my breath underwater for over a minute

I have beaten at least 2 people in arm wrestling

I know how to cook at least 3 meals from scratch

I know how to throw a proper punch

HOBBIES:

I enjoy playing sports

I’m on a sports team at my school or somewhere else

I’m in an orchestra or choir at my school or somewhere else

I have learned a new song in the past week

I work out at least once a week

I’ve gone for runs at least once a week in the warmer months

I have drawn something in the past month

I enjoy writing

I do or have done martial arts

EXPERIENCES:

I have had my first kiss

I have had alcohol

I have scored the winning goal in a sports game

I have watched an entire season of a TV show in one sitting

I have been at an overnight event

I have been in a taxi

I have been in the hospital or ER in the past year

I have beaten a video game in one day

I have visited another country

I have been to one of my favorite band’s concerts

RELATIONSHIPS:

I’m in a relationship

I have a crush on a celebrity

I have a crush on someone I know

I have been in at least 3 relationships

I have never been in a relationship

I have asked someone out or admitted my feelings to them

I get crushes easily  

I have had a crush on someone for over a year

I have been in a relationship for at least a year

I have had feelings for a friend

MY LIFE:

I have at least one person I consider a “best friend”

I live close to my school

My parents are still together

I have/had at least one sibling

I live in the United States

There is snow right now where I live

I have hung out with a friend in the past month

I have a smartphone

I have at least 15 CD’s

I share my room with someone

RANDOM SHIT:

I have break-danced

I know a person named Jamie

I have had a teacher with a last name that’s hard to pronounce

I have dyed my hair

I’m listening to one song on repeat right now

I have punched someone in the past week

I know someone who has gone to jail

I have broken a bone

I have eaten a waffle today

I know what I want to do with my life

I speak at least 2 languages

[oxiosa]

Tinchito's footwork game is strong and he is a quick student, and Lulu is the best of teacher so we can def count on them uvu

Whaaat a dip kiss matches any dance involving a partner, and anyways if there is one person skillful and smooth enough to shove a dip kiss into a dance to swoon his cute bf, that is Luchito, I believe in him ♡

Currently emotional while picturing Luciano twirling Tincho around to some forró music

[redzeverin]

What anime are you watching this season and why? uvu

lol you sound like that last exam I took haha //kicked

Weeeeell so far for this season, I’m only watching 3 anime because I’m not really into the other slice of life and romcom ones… not to mention there seems to be quite a bit of yuri and ecchi ones this season so….meeeeeehhhhhh—- Here are my 3 for this season:

1. Boku no Hero Academia

Ofcourse gotta keep up with this one. I love watching Todoroki get closer to Deku and the others! He’s growing so much //sob–  I’m also really waiting for the versus teachers arc! Sooo hyped to see Bakugou’s rage face again! //kicked

2. Ballroom e Youkoso

This anime got me hooked on episode 2. The way it presented the main character’s interest and abilities– not to mention the flawless dance animations AND the way it makes you tap your feet just by watching them– It really did capture the ballroom vibe! (Highly recommended if you’re into Haikyuu because the animation also kinda reminded me of it— Both from Production IG, I mean!) 

Also because Hanaoka-san is so pretty. She’s awesome too hgngngngng

3. Hitorijime my Hero

Been a while since I saw a decent slice of life yaoi anime tbh and this one just takes me back. Nothing too deep or too angsty (SO FAR); Just the right amount of fluff and fanservice and the way the plot moves along really gets your heart beating. I look forward to seeing what else happens to the characters.

Special mentions to the anime I continued to watched till episode 3 but didn’t continue it anymore: Koi to Uso, Tsurezure Children, Keppeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun, Katsugeki/Touken Ranbu, KakeguruiI might as well just watch them when they’re complete xD 

[tinyclovers]

My swing dance teacher often post pictures and stories of her son on social media, and I absolutely love the kid without having met him much. He picks his own outfits to school and I am in love with this little designer already UvU Might keep going!

[humminglines]

He is one of the sweetest, intelligent, driven, spiritual, awkward, and hilarious men ive ever met. The first time he talked to me he was telling me how much he loved my talk and he was so sincere and humble. Tonight was amazing. He invited me to a Refugee cultural celebration where refugees told their stories, they danced, they sang, and the orginization helped us underatand what a refugee is and how we can help those around us. I spoke to a woman who is so driven to become a lawyer to fight for women in Africa who suffer from domestic violence. She wants to give them a voice and help them realize they can do anything. That they are enough. We laughed over dinner and discussed history. We talked about his softball team and my love for doing things that scare me. We walked barefoot around UVU campus and watched the sunset as we discussed existentialism. Then i was putting on a helmet and swinging. I love the crack as the ball and bat connect. He was patient and helpful as i raised my elbow and alligned my knuckles. His friend made me laugh and his girlfriend was as terrified as i was. The guys tried their hand at 90mph and one of them broke a bamboo bat. He was so encouraging to everyone. As i followed him to Lehi i couldn't help but smile. I couldn't help but sing a little louder to the radio and laugh at his unability to use a turn signal or stop fully. He is so from California. We played with his brothers dogs, ate edamame as we discussed our first memories, discussed a city that is near to both of our hearts, laughed at Alexa trying to play Born This Way. We talked of our deepest desires, mine to be a mother his to be a teacher. Our goals are so similar. He told me about a school counselor that changed his life and i rambled on about my history teachers. He kissed my forehead as i told him how my parents met and my brain short circuited a little. He made me laugh, held me close, and kissed me softly. And then i felt guilty. And as i drove home i was upset for feeling that way because why was N plaguing my thoughts. Here was a kind, sweet man who has his crap together and im feeling guilty because my hearts hung up on N. The hot tears fell and i realized my folly. Ive got to stop treating N like we are dating. He does not get that privilege. I care about him, but i deserve to follow this path. I want to follow this new path and see where it goes. Because heaven knows if itll work or not, but i cant help but imagine nights curled up on the couch as he tells me about his students, laughter as we dance around the kitchen, meeting his brother and wife on a Sunday afternoon, and showing him my part of his city. And damn it. Im going to find out.

[corenaks-blog]

Bailando: How Dance is Beneficial to the World

Corena Kelly

Professor Burton

ENGL 2010

4 November 2019

When I moved to Utah County, I began to realize that I was depressed. I couldn’t figure out why. I knew that I had been depressed before but this was different. I have danced my whole life and I had stopped dancing because I didn’t know of places to go dancing. But then I found a place to dance in Provo and started going there twice a week. I realized that the more I went, the happier I became, and if I missed a time then I was more susceptible to feeling depressed. It has now been three and a half years and I am still going dancing twice a week. I have found a new family there. Because of this personal observation I have had many questions.

After looking through many different issues in today’s world, alongside my passions, I have found that dance is beneficial for many people who have mental and physical disabilities. The disabilities that I will focus on are: Autism, Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease, and Alzheimer’s Disease, but dance is beneficial to more than just those disabilities and conditions. I have several articles that talk about current research, as well as videos with evidence, and interviews with straight-from-the-source information. In this paper, I will go through each source, video, and interview, and break down the reasons why I so strongly believe that dance is beneficial. Dance and dance therapy is beneficial in many ways for people with mental and physical disabilities and conditions and should be more seriously considered especially when it comes to research. 

I read an article called “Neuroception and Attunement in Dance/Movement Therapy with Autism” by Christina Devereaux that talks about autism and dance therapy and argues that dance therapy can be used as a treatment method. The fact that autism is a neurological impairment, and that’s what causes an un-interactive experience. However, having a way to express yourself through your body causes a different connection between your brain that then can allow for a social interaction that is essential for all mammals. Specifically, interpersonal and cognitive skills are essential for mammals, especially people. Dance and movement open up that pathway of social connection and can strengthen cognitive, interpersonal, and social skills. I liked this quote from the article: “The communication of ‘rejection’ or the movement away from social engagement is the nervous system saying, ‘Get away,’ ‘I’m afraid,’ ‘This is too much,’ ‘I can’t handle all of it,’ ‘Slow down,’ ‘Back up,’ ‘Help me,’ or ‘I don’t feel safe.’ Dance/movement therapists can translate this language and work with it through the movement process” (37).

Dance and movement is a possible treatment that can change the way people act towards autistic people as well as the way autistic people act towards the rest of society. It could even be a way to introduce them to society in a safer environment. This is important because we are finding that more and  more people are autistic. So the more we understand this challenge, the more we can help them to be more fully participating and functioning members of society. This process of dance treatment can help us better understand how to be with them, and it can also help them to better understand how to be with us. This is just one of many ways dance therapy can be helpful. Another way is couple dancing being used to help with Parkinson’s Disease.

In “Music Therapy and Other Complementary Therapies for Parkinson’s” by Dr. Rebecca Gilbert, who is an APDA (American Parkinson’s Disease Association) Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. She has a PhD in Cell Biology, and has trained in Neurology Residency and Movement Disorders Fellowship. Her article talks about the different styles of dance that help those with Parkinson’s Disease. These styles include tango and ballroom. This article said that tango and ballroom are the most helpful, and this makes sense because the music used for those dances (especially ballroom) often connects patients with their memories and younger selves. It creates connections in the brain that help the patient walk and move. Gilbert states that some benefits of dance and dance therapy for people with Parkinson’s Disease are: “Imposing rhythmicity on movement, providing exercise: dance can be a source of aerobic exercise and provides a fun way to increase a person’s fitness level, [and] working on balance and coordination” (Gilbert) The article also states that dance therapy is a good “complementary” therapy, which means that it should be used in conjunction with other therapies and treatment methods. Dance can help with mental illness and diseases like Parkinson’s. Later, we will talk about a healthcare professional and patient who have put this into practice.

This idea of dance helping elderly patients is also related to my interview with MeChelle Miller. Mrs. Miller is a medical assistant working for Aspen Homecare, which is a service that provides a variety of in-home care and assistance to elderly people who have a hard time caring for themselves. She is also going to school at Utah Valley University and getting a bachelor’s degree in medical administration. She has worked in hospice and homecare for about two years but has worked in the medical field overall for about seven years. I asked Mrs. Miller questions about the benefits of dance and dance therapy and she responded well by giving a lot of details in her answers and I felt like this was something that she thinks is important. I think this is because dance and dance therapy more directly relates to her current specific field of work. 

Even though Mrs. Miller doesn’t know a lot about Parkinson’s Disease in particular, she is familiar with Dementia and Alzheimers and knows that music can turn a confused person into a human being who is able to have and hold a conversation. She said, 

“I don’t know a lot about Parkinson’s; I know more about dementia and Alz and I know that for those, music is something that is a real connector. You can take someone who can’t talk and is just making noises and blubbering and have them listen to music for 30 minutes to an hour and then try to have a conversation with them and they can communicate and have a conversation with you.” (Miller)

This example that Mrs. Miller gave shows how immediate the effects and benefits of dance and dance therapy can be.

Mrs. Miller furthermore talked about how music has several health benefits and that dance also has benefits if the patient has the physical capability. She has seen the benefits of music on elderly patients. She said, 

“I know that for our aging population… music and dance was something that was very much a part of their lives when they were younger. So at least at this point with those patients, music and dance is something that is being more utilized to engage with them and to access their minds. I know that it does have amazing effects on geriatrics when they involve music and dance, if they’re capable.” (Miller)

This interview has given specific answers and information from someone who is currently working in that field. It provides a living proof and perspective into a world that many of us don’t see. Mrs. Miller was very helpful and I wanted to continue to seek more personal opinions. I decided to interview a dance teacher and my personal dance partner Anthony Guerra.

Anthony Guerra knows a lot about the physical benefits of dance, but not a lot about the medical aspects and benefits. Mr. Guerra was a dance teacher for a few years and was also on the UVU ballroom dance team. He first gave me a long list of benefits for dancing in general. He also stated that dance and health aren’t usually seen in conjunction, at least in his experience. He also stated that it should be talked more about because of the several benefits. Specifically, he listed a couple of benefits that dancing could bring for seniors, including social benefits and physical ones: 

“Improved condition of heart and lungs, increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness, increased aerobic fitness, improved muscle tone and strength, weight management, stronger bones, reduced risk of osteoporosis, better coordination, agility, and flexibility, improved balance and spatial awareness, increased confidence and self-esteem, improved mental functioning, improved general and psychological well-being, and better social skills.” (Guerra)

He then concluded that he thinks that dance is beneficial for people of all ages and can help with so many different aspects of life.

Most dancers or those who teach dance are already aware of these health benefits. However, because they are dancers, medical professionals tend to give them less credibility or not listen to them. Because dance teachers already have this knowledge, it is important for medical professionals to be more aware of dance and its benefits in terms of a possible treatment for both physical and mental conditions.

On an average, not a lot of medical professionals know about dance and dance therapy and the benefits they have on physical and mental health. Dr.. Top is a medical professional at UVU Student Health Services. I asked him the same questions that I asked Mr. Guerra, to see what he would say about dance and its medical benefits. Dr. Top was enthusiastic but didn’t really pinpoint anything specific about dance and dance therapy. He’s heard a couple of things but because he’s not in the physical therapy field he hasn’t heard about a lot of research.

However, Dr. Top did say that he thinks that my research is important and that dance is a good cardio exercise. When I asked if he had heard about or read any reports or studies about the medical benefits of dance, he said, “Not specifically from dance— I’ve heard of the benefits of cardio overall but not anything particular to dance, no” (Top). I then asked if he thought that it was important to spread awareness about the medical benefits of dance and he said, “Yeah, I think that anytime we’re able to get people to move more is a win. So whether it’s dance or bike-riding or basketball then I don’t care. As long as people are moving, that’s all we’re asking for. So it’s very important” (Top). This shows that the people who need to know this information know little to nothing about it and this leads to using dance as a treatment being not well-known in the healthcare community unless you’re in a specific field. 

Not only is dance not seen as a treatment method in society, but it’s not even seen as a treatment method in the medical community. It was only recently that dance was accepted as a real sport rather than just a performing art, so this isn’t surprising. All of this proves that my research and goal to bring awareness to both the dance and medical communities about dance being a good treatment method for both physical and mental health issues is vital.

Coming across some of the things that I did in my research, I came across a video of a healthcare nurse like Mrs. Miller that did an experiment with a patient who has Parkinson’s Disease. Anicea Gunlock then posted this video of her experiment to YouTube and called it “Gait training for Parkinson's patient using music.” The video shows an elderly patient working to improve his gait, or his ability to walk more normally and efficiently. First, Gunlock explains what she’s going to do in the video and what her experiment is and how she uses music. She mentions that music is easily accessible in today’s day and age and therefore this treatment method is easy to use. Then, her video shows the patient trying to walk without music. His walker drags on the floor and he shuffles along. It takes him about 45 seconds to walk from one end of the room to the other. Then Gunlock plays music and the patient walks again. This time, the patient doesn’t drag his walker as much and he takes much bigger steps. He is then able to walk the same distance as before in about 20 seconds and then he keeps going. He ends up not using his walker at all, and even starts dancing with Gunlock.

I have found that this video is a great example of how music and dance can help a person with Parkinson’s Disease. In conjunction with Gilbert’s article talking about Parkinson’s disease and Mrs. Miller’s interview, this video shows that dance can be a valuable treatment method. The video provides visual proof of the effects that music and/or dance can have on a patient. It also proves that dance and music can have many medical benefits that we haven’t been able to fully tap into yet. Not only can dance help the elderly, but it can also help young children that have autism.

A group on Facebook called Upworthy posted a video called “Dance Therapy.” This video is about a dance instructor named Elizabeth Chacon who has two young dance students that are autistic. Chacon talks about how these students benefit from taking dance classes. The students are able to move around and practice specific movements in a safe space. They get the opportunity to express their feelings in a way that allows people to understand how they’re feeling and basically provides another way to communicate. One of the students is a boy named Chris who is eight years old. Chris’s mom Wendy talks about how Chris tends to have a lot of movements and make a lot of high-pitched noises. Wendy then talks about how there are very few places in society where she can take Chris and he will be accepted for who he is. The parents of these students and Chacon all talk about how there aren’t a lot of classes like this one offered. This means that people need to be more open to possible trainings and to creating more opportunities that allow things like this class to occur more often. This is both a business opportunity and an opportunity to help communities.

This video shows that dance can help those who are autistic communicate in a way that they normally wouldn’t be able to do. Dance classes could also help them understand society a little more, especially if this kind of therapy is started at a young age. Autism is just like any physical disability and should be treated as such. Even if it’s not done at a young age, there are some studies that are working with adults who have autism.

Julie Wadsworth and Simon Hackett have written an article together called “Dance Movement Psychotherapy with an Adult with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Single-Case Study.” This article talks about the steps taken within a 45 minute period to help an autistic person choreograph movement. The main subject of this article was a 23-year old man called “Mike.” Wadsworth and Hackett said, “Mike had been admitted to hospital several times throughout his life. He was considered to be socially aloof interacting minimally with others and had some noise intolerance. He presented a risk of self-injury and physical aggression to others who had precipitated his admission to the specialist assessment and treatment unit” (Wadsworth).

I like that Wadsworth and Hackett give statistics and details about an experiment on a particular patient. They did do similar experiments on other patients but focused on “Mike” for this particular article. This allows you to see statistically what changes or outcomes can happen for someone who is autistic and uses dance and dance therapy.

Mike began by choosing an emotion, then he used tools and props that allowed him to have a sensory experience, then he practiced mirroring where he have to have eye contact and interaction (which is where a lot of social issues come up). Next, he created dance movements that told a story in six parts: a character, a setting, a task, an obstacle, some help, and an outcome. This then allowed Mike to do this choreography. Afterwards, he was again asked to pick an emotion based on how he was feeling. The experiment resulted in Mike being happier at the end of five out of seven dance therapy sessions. This article shares a particular story and experiment that was done in a very specific way that shows how much we have learned and how much more there is to be learned about dance and dance therapy being used to help people with mental health issues.

Another example of dance and dance therapy helping mental health issues can be found in a study about DMT (Dance Movement Therapy). Koch C. Sabine and her team did some research and wrote an article called “Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Dance on Health-Related Psychological Outcomes. A Meta-Analysis Update.” This research shows that there have been studies done previously on how dance benefits health and that there is also an increase of studies with this topic. However, the increase isn’t a large amount. 

This lack of information supports the idea that there isn’t enough research being done about dance and dance therapy and that more should be done. Sabine’s article states that DMT has been shown to improve depression and anxiety as well as improve quality of life and interpersonal and cognitive skills. Additionally, the study also states that the initial findings on long-term effects are promising. There is a lack of research about dance and dance therapy with mental health, but more research has been done on the physical benefits of dance on elderly people.

Azucena Guzmán-García and her team of researchers found a form of dance called Danzón and they explain their research in an article called “Introducing a Latin Ballroom Dance Class to People with Dementia Living in Care Homes, Benefits and Concerns: A Pilot Study.” This article was done at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom and conducted to see what effects Latin dance had on dementia patients, specifically their psychomotor abilities. Specifically, the study focused on Danzón, which is a Latin ballroom style of dance. Guzmán-García describes the dance style as: 

“of moderate intensity and consist[ing] of small steps, defined and stopped at each music bar, ensuring that the dancer is at a low risk of physical injury. Danzón steps involve a technique with gentle hip and body movements which can be divided into short sections to be facilitated by teachers with or without dance teaching experience.” (Guzmán-García)

This quote shows that Danzón is easily accessible and you don’t have to be a dance teacher to know it or teach it.

The staff saw that there was a benefit to this even though other studies suggest that dance can be more difficult for people with dementia. The study found that DPI (Danzón Psychomotor Intervention) was not difficult and staff and residents said that the music made them feel happy. In the study’s conclusion, it says that it was very clear that the residents benefited when they participated in the dance classes. “Introducing dancing was a different way to enhance interactions between residents and care staff and other positives across a number of diverse dimensions. Staff also reported a positive impact in terms of the residents’ and their own levels of well-being and satisfaction.” The fact that there has been a study with more definitive results says that more research is possible.

There has been a lot of research done about what can help and what cannot help those who have mental and physical disabilities. Yet, not enough has been done about dance and dance therapy, which is beneficial in many ways for people with mental and physical disabilities and conditions and which should be taken more seriously. So, this means that those of us who now know about dance and dance therapy need to share this information with everyone that we come in contact with on a daily basis. There are so many people now and probably in the future that would really benefit from further research, but unless we can get this research truly going and the information truly out there, we can only go so far.

Works Cited

Devereaux, Christina. “Neuroception and Attunement in Dance/Movement Therapy with 

Autism.” American Journal of Dance Therapy, vol. 39, no. 1, June 2017, pp. 36–38. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10465-017-9249-1. 

Gilbert, Rebecca. “Music Therapy and Other Complementary Therapies for Parkinson’s.” 

APDA: American Parkinson Disease Association. 5 Feb. 2019. https://www.apdaparkinson.org/ article/music-therapy-parkinsons-disease/.

Guerra, Anthony. Personal Interview. 7 Oct. 2019.

Gunlock, Anicea. “Gait training for Parkinsons's patient using music.” Youtube, 12 Jan. 2017. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDjQ7lKmH3s.

Guzmán-García, Azucena, et al. “Introducing a Latin Ballroom Dance Class to People with 

Dementia Living in Care Homes, Benefits and Concerns: A Pilot Study.” Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice, vol. 12, no. 5, Sept. 2013, pp. 523–535. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/1471301211429753.

Miller, MeChelle. Personal Interview. 30 Sept. 2019.

Sabine C. Koch, et al. “Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Dance on Health-Related 

Psychological Outcomes. A Meta-Analysis Update.” Frontiers in Psychology, 2019. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01806.

Top, Nick. Personal Interview. 2 Oct. 2019.

Upworthy. “Dance Therapy.” Facebook, 11 Jul. 2018. https://www.facebook.com/Upworthy/ 

videos/401872930335826/.

Wadsworth, Julie, and Simon Hackett. “Dance Movement Psychotherapy with an Adult with 

Autistic Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Single-Case Study.” Body, Movement & Dance in Psychotherapy, vol. 9, no. 2, Apr. 2014, pp. 59–73. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/17432979.2014.893259.

[corenaks-blog]

Final Annotated Bibliography

Corena Kelly

Professor Burton

ENGL 2010

23 September 2019

Annotated Bibliography

Devereaux, Christina. “Neuroception and Attunement in Dance/Movement Therapy with Autism.” American Journal of Dance Therapy, vol. 39, no. 1, June 2017, pp. 36–38. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1007/s10465-017-9249-1.  

This article talks about the fact that autism is a neurological impairment, and that’s what causes an un-interactive experience. However, having a way to express yourself through your body causes a different connection between your brain that then can allow for a social interaction that is essential for all mammals. Specifically, interpersonal and cognitive skills are essential for mammals, especially people. Dance and movement open up that pathway of social connection and can strengthen cognitive, interpersonal, and social skills. I liked this quote from the article: “The communication of ‘rejection’ or the movement away from social engagement is the nervous system saying, ‘Get away,’ ‘I’m afraid,’ ‘This is too much,’ ‘I can’t handle all of it,’ ‘Slow down,’ ‘Back up,’ ‘Help me,’ or ‘I don’t feel safe.’ Dance/movement therapists can translate this language and work with it through the movement process” (37).

I will use this source because it is talking about how dance and movement is a possible treatment that can change the way people act towards autistic people as well as the way autistic people act towards the rest of society. It could even be a way to introduce them to society in a safer environment. This is important because we are finding that more and  more people are autistic. So the more we understand this challenge, the more we can help them to be more fully participating and functioning members of society. This process of dance treatment can help us better understand how to be with them, and it can also help them to better understand how to be with us.

Gilbert, Rebecca. “Music Therapy and Other Complementary Therapies for Parkinson’s.” APDA: American Parkinson Disease Association. 5 Feb. 2019. https://www.apdaparkinson.org/ article/music-therapy-parkinsons-disease/.

There are a couple dance styles in particular that help with Parkinson’s Disease which are tango and ballroom. The article states that some benefits of dance and dance therapy for people with Parkinson’s Disease are: “Imposing rhythmicity on movement, providing exercise: dance can be a source of aerobic exercise and provides a fun way to increase a person’s fitness level, [and] working on balance and coordination.” The article also states that dance therapy is a good “complementary” therapy, which means that it should be used in conjunction with other therapies and treatment methods.

This source seems like a good source because it is specifically an association for Parkinson’s Disease and the website is a “.org” website. This article is also written by Dr. Rebecca Gilbert, an ADPA Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer. She has a PhD in Cell Biology, and has trained in Neurology Residency and Movement Disorders Fellowship.

I will use this source to support my thesis that dance can help with mental illness and diseases like Parkinson’s. I can also tie this into another one of my sources: the interview with MeChelle Miller. Even though she doesn’t know a lot about Parkinson’s Disease in particular, she is familiar with Dementia and Alzheimers and knows that music can turn a confused person into a human being who is able to have and hold a conversation. She said, “ I don’t know a lot about Parkinson’s; I know more about dementia and Alz and I know that for those, music is something that is a real connector. You can take someone who can’t talk and is just making noises and blubbering and have them listen to music for 30 minutes to an hour and then try to have a conversation with them and they can communicate and have a conversation with you.”

Guerra, Anthony. Personal Interview. 7 Oct. 2019.

Mr. Guerra was a dance teacher for a few years and was also on the UVU ballroom dance team. He is currently my dance partner. I asked him the same questions that I asked the medical professionals to see what he would say about dance and its medical benefits. He first gave me a long list of benefits for dancing in general. He also stated that dance and health aren’t usually seen in conjunction, at least in his experience. He also stated that it should be talked more about because of the several benefits. Specifically, he listed a couple of benefits that dancing could bring for seniors, including social benefits and physical ones: “Improved condition of heart and lungs, increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness, increased aerobic fitness, improved muscle tone and strength, weight management, stronger bones, reduced risk of osteoporosis, better coordination, agility, and flexibility, improved balance and spatial awareness, increased confidence and self-esteem, improved mental functioning, improved general and psychological well-being, and better social skills.” He then concluded that he thinks that dance is beneficial for people of all ages and can help with so many different aspects of life.

I will use this source to show that most dancers or those who teach dance are already aware of these health benefits. However, because they are dancers, medical professionals tend to give them less credibility or not listen to them. Because dance teachers already have this knowledge, it is important for medical professionals to be more aware of dance and its benefits in terms of a possible treatment for both physical and mental conditions.

Gunlock, Anicea. “Gait training for Parkinsons's patient using music.” Youtube, 12 Jan. 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDjQ7lKmH3s.

This video shows a healthcare professional helping an elderly patient with Parkinson’s Disease walk. First, the healthcare professional explains the video and her experiment using music. She mentions that music is easily accessible in today’s day and age and therefore this treatment method is easy to use. Then, the video shows the patient trying to walk without music. His walker drags on the floor and he shuffles along. It takes him about 45 seconds to walk from one end of the room to the other. Then the healthcare professional plays music and the patient walks again. This time, they don’t drag their walker as much and they take much bigger steps. They are able to walk the same distance as before in about 20 seconds and then keep going. He ends up not using his walker at all, and even starts dancing with the healthcare professional.

This video is a great example of how music and dance can help a person with Parkinson’s Disease. In conjunction with the other article talking about Parkinson’s disease, this source shows that dance can be a valuable treatment method. The article said that ballroom and tango are the most helpful, and this makes sense because the music used for those dances (especially ballroom) often connects patients with their memories and younger selves. It creates connections in the brain that help the patient walk and move. 

I will use this video to give visual proof of the effects that music and/or dance can have on a patient. This video proves that dance and music can have many medical benefits that we haven’t been able to fully tap into yet. The video shows an elderly patient working to improve his gait, or his ability to walk more normally and efficiently.

Guzmán-García, Azucena, et al. “Introducing a Latin Ballroom Dance Class to People with Dementia Living in Care Homes, Benefits and Concerns: A Pilot Study.” Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice, vol. 12, no. 5, Sept. 2013, pp. 523–535. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1177/1471301211429753.

This article is about a study that researchers from Newcastle University in the United Kingdom conducted to see what effects Latin dance had on dementia patients, specifically their psychomotor abilities. Specifically, the study focused on Danzón, which is a Latin ballroom style of dance “of moderate intensity and consist[ing] of small steps, defined and stopped at each music bar, ensuring that the dancer is at a low risk of physical injury. Danzón steps involve a technique with gentle hip and body movements which can be divided into short sections to be facilitated by teachers with or without dance teaching experience.” The staff saw that there was a benefit to this even though other studies suggest that dance can be more difficult for people with dementia. The study found that DPI (Danzón Psychomotor Intervention) was not difficult and staff and residents said that the music made them feel happy. In the study’s conclusion, it says that it was very clear that the residents benefited when they participated in the dance classes. “Introducing dancing was a different way to enhance interactions between residents and care staff and other positives across a number of diverse dimensions. Staff also reported a positive impact in terms of the residents’ and their own levels of well-being and satisfaction.”

I will use this source for its details surrounding the experiment. The fact that there has been a study with more definitive results says that more research is possible. This study also gives several specific statistics that will help prove my thesis.

Miller, MeChelle. Personal Interview. 30 Sept. 2019.

Mrs. Miller is a medical assistant working for Aspen Homecare, which is a service that provides a variety of in-home care and assistance to elderly people who have a hard time caring for themselves. She is also going to school at Utah Valley University and getting a bachelor’s degree in medical administration. She has worked in hospice and homecare for about two years but has worked in the medical field overall for about seven years. 

I asked Mrs. Miller questions about my paper topic and she responded well. She gave a lot of details in her answers and I felt like this topic was something that she thinks is important. I think this is because my topic more directly relates to her current specific field. She talked about how music has several health benefits and that dance also has benefits if the patient has the physical capability. She has seen the benefits of music on elderly patients. She said, “I know that for our aging population… music and dance was something that was very much a part of their lives when they were younger. So at least at this point with those patients, music and dance is something that is being more utilized to engage with them and to access their minds. I know that it does have amazing effects on geriatrics when they involve music and dance, if they’re capable.”

I will use this source because it gives specific answers and information from someone who is currently working in that field. It provides a living proof and perspective into a world that many of us don’t see.

Sabine C. Koch, et al. “Effects of Dance Movement Therapy and Dance on Health-Related Psychological Outcomes. A Meta-Analysis Update.” Frontiers in Psychology, 2019. EBSCOhost, doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01806.

This article shows that there have been studies on how dance benefits health before and that there is also an increase of studies with this topic. However, the increase isn’t a large amount. So this supports my thesis that there isn’t enough research being done and that more should be done. This article also states some of the results that have been found through these studies. This article states that DMT (Dance Movement Therapy) has been shown to improve depression and anxiety as well as improve quality of life and interpersonal and cognitive skills. Additionally, the study also states that the initial findings on long-term effects are promising. I will use this article mostly for the specific statistics that it provides.

Top, Nick. Personal Interview. 2 Oct. 2019.

Mr. Top was enthusiastic but didn’t really pinpoint anything specific. I think he’s heard a couple of things but because he’s not in the fields I’m focusing on he hasn’t heard about a lot of research. However, he did say that he thinks that my research is important and that dance is a good cardio exercise. When I asked if he had heard about or read any reports or studies about the medical benefits of dance, he said, “Not specifically from dance— I’ve heard of the benefits of cardio overall but not anything particular to dance, no.” I then asked if he thought that it was important to spread awareness about the medical benefits of dance and he said, “Yeah, I think that anytime we’re able to get people to move more is a win. So whether it’s dance or bike-riding or basketball then I don’t care. As long as people are moving, that’s all we’re asking for. So it’s very important.”

I will use this source to argue that using dance as a treatment is not well-known in the healthcare community unless you’re in a specific field. Not only is dance not seen as a treatment method in society, but it’s not even seen as a treatment method in the medical community. It was only recently that dance was accepted as a real sport rather than just a performing art, so this isn’t surprising. All of this encourages me in my research and goal to bring awareness to both the dance and medical communities about dance being a good treatment method for both physical and mental health issues.

Upworthy. “Dance Therapy.” Facebook, 11 Jul. 2018. https://www.facebook.com/Upworthy/videos/401872930335826/.

This video is about a dance instructor named Elizabeth Chacon who has two dance students that are autistic. This instructor talks about how these students benefit from taking dance classes. The students are able to move around and practice specific movements in a safe space. They get the opportunity to express their feelings in a way that allows people to understand how they’re feeling and basically provides another way to communicate. One of the students is a boy named Chris who is eight years old. His mom talks about how Chris tends to have a lot of movements and make a lot of high-pitched noises. Chris’ mom then talks about how there are very few places in society where she can take Chris and he will be accepted for who he is. The parents of these students and the dance instructor all talk about how there aren’t a lot of classes like this one offered. This means that people need to be more open to possible trainings and to creating more opportunities that allow things like this class to occur more often. This is both a business opportunity and an opportunity to help communities.

I will use this video to show that dance can help those who are autistic communicate in a way that they normally wouldn’t be able to do. This could also help them understand society a little more, especially if this kind of therapy is started at a young age. Autism is just like any physical disability and should be treated as such.

Wadsworth, Julie, and Simon Hackett. “Dance Movement Psychotherapy with an Adult with Autistic Spectrum Disorder: An Observational Single-Case Study.” Body, Movement & Dance in Psychotherapy, vol. 9, no. 2, Apr. 2014, pp. 59–73. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/17432979.2014.893259.

In this article, it talks about the steps within a 45 minute period that were taken to help an autistic person choreograph movement. The main subject of this article was a 23-year old man called “Mike.” “Mike had been admitted to hospital several times throughout his life. He was considered to be socially aloof interacting minimally with others and had some noise intolerance. He presented a risk of self-injury and physical aggression to others who had precipitated his admission to the specialist assessment and treatment unit.”

This article gives statistics and an experiment on a particular patient. They did do similar experiments on other patients but focused on “Mike” for this particular article. This allows you to see statistically what changes or outcomes can happen for someone who is autistic and uses dance.

Mike began by choosing an emotion, then he used tools and props that allowed him to have a sensory experience, then he practiced mirroring where he have to have eye contact and interaction (which is where a lot of social issues come up). Next, he created dance movements that told a story in six parts: a character, a setting, a task, an obstacle, some help, and an outcome. This then allowed Mike to do this choreography. Afterwards, he was again asked to pick an emotion based on how he was feeling. The experiment resulted in Mike being happier at the end of five out of seven dance therapy sessions.

I will use this source to share a particular story and experiment that was done in a very specific way that shows how much we have learned and how much more there is to be learned about dance and dance therapy being used to help people with mental health issues.