Integrating Free Expression of Modern Dance into Dance Movement Therapy: A Tension-Resonance Approach between Structure and Improvisation
Main Article Content
Authors
Dankook University, Yongin, South Korea
Abstract
The tradition of free improvisation in modern dance stands in potential tension with the structural requirements, boundaries, and safety needs that are fundamental to Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT). This study adopts a theoretical approach, employing a systematic review and textual analysis of international research and art-theoretical works to explore the philosophical and embodied foundations of improvisation and to investigate the therapeutic functions of structural mechanisms within DMT. Representative texts—including Ravn and Høffding’s enactivist analysis of improvisation, Himberg et al.’s studies on collective improvisation protocols, and Dou et al.’s empirical research on improvisation training—are analyzed as dialogical cases.
Building upon these analyses, the study proposes the Tension–Resonance Model, which emphasizes the concepts of oscillation and boundary elasticity. The model offers theoretical, pedagogical, and research-oriented insights aimed at constructing a practical framework that integrates improvisational freedom within therapeutic structure. Ultimately, the research seeks to provide an applicable pathway for DMT theory and education—one that preserves structural safety while opening new avenues for free expression and embodied creativity.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright remains with the author(s). All articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). This license permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, provided that appropriate credit is given to the original author(s) and the source, a link to the license is provided, and any changes are indicated.
How to Cite
References
Batson, G., & Sentler, S. (2017). How visual and kinaesthetic imagery shape movement improvisation: A pilot study. Journal of Dance & Somatic Practices, 9(2), 195–212.
Bernsen, R. (2022). Movement improvisation and somatic research: Entwined practices of freedom. The Journal of Speculative Philosophy, 36(4), 417–435.
Bräuninger, I. (2014). Specific dance movement therapy interventions—Which are effective? The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41(5), 456–463.
Bryl, K., et al. (2024). Experiences and perceived benefits of remotely delivered dance/movement therapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 112345.
Dou, X., Jia, L., & Ge, J. (2021). Improvisational dance-based psychological training of college students’ dance improvement. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 663223.
Duberg, A., et al. (2020). The effects of a dance intervention on somatic symptoms in adolescent girls. Journal of Adolescent Health, 66(5), 567–574.
Himberg, T., Laroche, J., Bigé, R., Buchkowski, M., & Bachrach, A. (2018). Coordinated interpersonal behaviour in collective dance improvisation: The aesthetics of kinaesthetic togetherness. Behavioural Sciences, 8(2), 23.
Horváth, M. (2025). Move freely! – A theoretical overview of the mechanism of dance movement improvisation. Psychiatry Research, 325, 115–123.
Hyvönen, K., Pylvänäinen, P., Muotka, J., & Lappalainen, R. (2020). The effects of dance movement therapy in the treatment of depression: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial in Finland. Frontiers in Psychology.
Koch, S. C., Riege, R. F. F., Tisborn, K., Biondo, J., Martin, L., & Beelmann, A. (2019). Effects of dance movement therapy and dance on health-related psychological outcomes: A meta-analysis update. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1806.
Millman, L. S., Merritt, T. B., Hunter, E. C. M., & Orgs, G. (2020). Towards a neurocognitive approach to dance movement therapy for mental health: A systematic review. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 27(1), 24–38.
Ravn, S. (2020). Investigating dance improvisation: From spontaneity to agency. Dance Research Journal, 52(2), 75–87.
Ravn, S., & Høffding, S. (2022). Improvisation and thinking in movement: An enactivist analysis of agency in artistic practices. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 21(3), 515–537.
Ryan, B. (2025). A cross-cultural analysis of dance movement therapy: Efficacy and cultural considerations. Journal of Dance Therapy, 47(2), 123–139.
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. (2023). Effectiveness of DMT / Dance Movement interventions in cancer patients. PubMed.
Wu, J., Xiong, Q., Zheng, X., & Wang, T. (2022). Dance movement therapy for motor function, cognitive deficit, mood, and quality of life in people with neurodegenerative diseases: A systematic review. PubMed.
Article Sidebar
Download
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.