An Introduction to Dance/Movement Therapy

"Movement is a basic form of communication that provides us with opportunities for socialization, the development of community and the experience of expressing our aliveness and our innermost thoughts and feelings." - Nana Koch In this ADTA Talk, Nana Koch, board certified dance/movement therapist, licensed creative arts therapist and award-winning educator, introduces the viewer to the profession of dance/movement therapy, its history, and describes an approach to group work. Nana Koch, Ed.D, BC-DMT, LCAT, NCC, LPC, CMA is a board certified dance movement therapist, licensed creative arts therapist and educator. Nana studied with pioneering dance therapist Liljan Espenak in one of the earliest courses she offered at Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospital/Mental Retardation Clinic. Since Espenak’s passing, Nana has been the sole practitioner teaching her system of psychomotor therapy. She has worked with a range of clinical populations including children and adolescents with developmental delays and adolescents and adults with affective disorders, psychosis and/or addictions. Additionally, Nana has taught dance/movement training courses in New York, Costa Rica, India and China. Currently, Nana is an Associate Professor and Chairperson of the Department of Health, Physical Education and Movement Science at Long Island University-Post. She is the former coordinator of the Hunter College Dance/Movement Therapy Masters Program, the former Chair of the American Dance Therapy Association's (ADTA) Sub-Committee for Approval of Alternate Route Courses, the former chair of ADTA’s Credentials Committee and she was a member of ADTA’s Approval Committee (for graduate coursework). She is now on ADTA’s Alternate Route Educators Subcommittee. Nana is the author of several dance therapy articles appearing in the American Journal of Dance Therapy. Additionally, her interviews of three dance/movement therapists formed the basis for the dialogue used in the film produced by the New York Chapter of ADTA entitled "Moving Stories: Portraits of Dance/Movement Therapy" available here: http://nysadta.org/dvd/ In 2012, Nana was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award by the American Dance Therapy Association. In 2011 she was honored with the Amazing Person Award from the Higher Education/Professional Preparation Section of the New York State Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. In 2009 she was named Higher Education Teacher of the Year by the Nassau Zone of the same organization. To learn more about dance/movement therapy, please visit the American Dance Therapy Association website: http://www.adta.org

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