Report: theories and assessment procedures used by dance/movement therapists in the UK

Abstract

Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) in the UK seems to be a rapidly growing field, as indicated by the establishment of DMT training courses at British Universities and the recent efforts by the Association for DMT (ADMT UK) to register its qualified members, so that the field is recognized as a profession alongside the other Arts Therapies. Payne (1992) records that American dance/movement therapists visiting the UK, supported the first tentative steps of British practitioners working with movement and special needs’ populations, enabling them to define their practice as DMT. Payne (1992), who was actively involved in those early days of DMT in the UK, goes on to suggest that since the 1980s and early 1990s, these practitioners have subsequently developed their own style of working, thereby, gradually decreasing the level of American influence. As DMT practice in the UK matures, and confidence within the profession increases, the need for research in the area becomes imperative. So far, research studies in DMT in the UK appear in the form of isolated pieces of work related to specific populations or approaches (e.g., Payne 1987; Payne 1996; Meekums 1990; Meekums 1998 and Karkou). Some DMT practitioners acknowledge the limited number of studies completed and attempt to adapt to their practice, new research methodologies borrowed from social sciences (Meekums & Payne, 1993). However, no attempt has as yet been made to describe the field of DMT as a whole through empirical research studies.