Moving in synchrony with others is associated with heightened social engagement and cooperation between individuals. Creative arts-based approaches such as dance/movement therapy (DMT) incorporate nonverbal techniques to develop interpersonal synchrony and group cohesion, and to enhance kinesthetic empathy. While DMT commonly uses Laban Movement Analysis (LMA), an analytical assessment system to observe and interpret movement, it is subject to personal bias and observer fatigue. Therefore, our goal was to explore the utility of the accelerometer to objectively measure rhythmic synchrony (RS) and spatial synchrony (SS) with 14 middle school students during 10 weekly group DMT sessions and to examine changes in mean scores for RS and SS over three time points. A wrist-worn accelerometer and Laban Movement Analysis (LMA), were used to measure RS and SS between individuals in each group. Biometric and observational data were compared to observe trends between both data sets. Participants’ subjective experiences of wearing the device during movement were also investigated. Although no statistical significance was found in IS scores across groups, in comparing the two data sets, overall biometric scores of RS increased marginally between the three time points, and overall observational scores notably increased between T1 and T2 and decreased between T2 and T3. Group 2 demonstrated similar upward trends in both data sets. This study is the first to investigate the useability of the accelerometer to measure interpersonal synchrony in DMT. Although the findings are encouraging, further investigation is needed to provide definitive information on the usefulness of the accelerometer in this context. Limitations and suggestions for future research are included.

In this commentary, dance/movement therapy (DMT) educators, practitioners, and students discuss the current issues, lived experiences, and ongoing debates surrounding movement observation frameworks and their impact on DMT education and client populations. The commentary claims that expanded perspectives are needed on how to begin the process of observing the body through different identities, experientials, and theoretical perspectives. The discussion is framed by insights gained from the larger DMT community, and the DMT program at Lesley University. This emerging conversation explores new frameworks, applications to clients, and dialogues between movement observation systems with voices from recent graduates and higher education professionals. The goal of this paper is an ongoing collaborative effort that reflects on culture, community, movement preferences, and life experiences.

Despite efforts to promote inclusivity in schools, ethnic bullying is a pervasive issue. Recent studies have highlighted the potential of empathy and cultural self efficacy within cross-cultural friendships to mitigate ethnic bullying. Violence prevention programs in the United States rely on didactic approaches and few include embodied approaches. Our goal was to examine the impact of dance/movement therapy (DMT) on empathy, peer relationships, and cultural self-efficacy among racially/ethnically diverse groups of middle school students using a mixed methods research design. Quantitative data did not demonstrate significant change in empathy, peer relationships, and cultural self-efficacy. Qualitative data described an increase in participants’ emotional intelligence including empathy, cultural self-efficacy, and positive cross-cultural relationships. Additional research is needed to determine the definitive impact of DMT on these outcomes.

The authors engaged with each other to share their own experiences, memories, personal trauma, identities, and cultural backgrounds, and embody a necessary reflection and dialogue around their racial/culturally diverse backgrounds during these trauma-filled times. The emotional, social, political, and spiritual impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the civil unrest due to the continued violence against BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) bodies, and the persistence of systemic racism, oppression, and white supremacy drove the necessary questioning on how to support those from marginalized identities both from a theoretical stance and a social action stance. The authors' reflections on their own growing edge and positionality led them to assess integrated therapeutic approaches that move in the direction of healing historical wounds that continue to deny our humanities. Groundwork in dance/movement therapy (DMT) education and pedagogy, the application of embodied intersectionality approaches, and implementation of culturally/spiritually informed practices were offered as frameworks for the continued creation of equitable, safe, and accountable spaces in our DMT field. The chapter includes a summary of culturally and trauma-informed DMT therapeutic guiding principles that were useful in the authors' own journeys toward becoming agents of change for themselves and for those they serve.

The reviewers are both dance educators and board certified dance/movement therapists and believe in the importance of somatic learning and its significant role in the schools. Both have had teaching, counseling and dance/movement therapy roles with adolescents and have experienced the power of the body-mind connection in helping adolescents navigate the physical, social, emotional and relational developmental challenges during this time.

This article describes the inception and implementation at Lesley University of a dance/movement therapy (DMT) hybrid low-residency program, which is defined as a combination of face-to-face and distance learning. Dance/movement therapy faculty members share their experiences designing the new hybrid low-residency model, and characterize the process of learning how to optimize course design and curriculum. Examples are provided through description of several core DMT classes: (a) DMT Theories and Practice; (b) Clinical Skills and Applications; (c) Supervision (d) Body/Movement Observation and Assessment. The authors detail their experiences, discoveries, and strategic responses to challenges that were faced through course examples, best practices, and comments provided directly from student and faculty reflections. The description of this unique program has implications in relation to 21st century hybrid DMT graduate training and suggests areas for future research directions in this approach to DMT education.

This article traces Norma Canner's life and development as a pioneer and leader in the field of dance/movement therapy through the lens of her former students to whom she was a mentor and dear friend. Norma's legacy is discussed highlighting her seminal early intervention work with children, her commitment to social activism and her expansive international work. Norma's interest in the natural world evolved through many projects in the latter part of her career while her teaching and practice remained constant. Norma's presence reverberates in the lives and work of all those who witnessed her great spirit.

This programme evaluation study of the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) programme utilizes both quantitative and qualitative data. The findings suggest both student mentors as well as students participating in MVP activities enhance their ability to become active bystanders in the prevention of bullying, sexual harassment and teen dating abuse. Through the Spiral Integrated Learning Process (SILP) inherent in the author's wellness/prevention work in a public high school, the reader will be introduced to the theoretical models and expressive arts activities that promote an embodied knowing or integrated learning in addition to building community that acknowledges differences and supports understanding. Goleman's social and emotional learning theories, the Relational Cultural Theory, along with mindful exercises and recent neuroscience findings reinforce and help to make the SILP more explicit. In addition Laban's idea of 'movement thinking,' informs this work along with the creative use of expressive arts; each builds on the other and spirals forward and backwards helping the students create an embodied knowing, a theoretical and experiential framework for addressing bullying and its prevention.