Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019
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Date of Graduation
Spring 2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Department
School of Theatre and Dance
Advisor(s)
Katherine Arecchi
Abstract
Dance Therapy focuses on the body as the medium to the mind (About Dance/Movement Therapy). Dance Therapy has documented benefits in helping victims of sexual abuse, because many of these victims undergo the emotions of body shame and self-hatred as well as the distinct feeling of loss of their physical selves. (Liu 112). The country of Romania has one of the highest numbers of rape victims under the age of 18 than of any other developed country in the world (Liu 121). With this information a Dance Therapy camp was created and implemented in Sibiu, Romania for a group of 28 female survivors of sexual abuse under the age of 18. This camp included the use of performance as a therapeutic tool in order to gain insight on the benefits of performance within the scope of Dance Therapy. Through the observation of behavior and the reading of journals written by the participants it was determined that Dance Therapy has a profound benefit on young victims of sexual abuse as a way to cultivate artistic creativity. The added element of the performance was a source of empowerment for the participants and gave them a platform to express their stories and experiences.
Recommended Citation
McAvoy, Caitlin M., "The research and creative implementation of dance therapy practices for female survivors of sexual abuse" (2015). Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019. 24.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/honors201019/24
