Reflections on Authentic Movement

Book excerpt: This ground-breaking book advances the existing literature on Authentic Movement with an arts practice-led research monograph. It explores the history, practice and theory of Authentic Movement which integrates the fields of dance, movement and psychotherapy. Providing a contemporary and new perspective, the book moves beyond the purely therapeutic and spiritual aims of Authentic Movement and opens it up to new applications. The first part of the book introduces the history and practice of Authentic Movement, describing and illustrating origins, forms and specific expert terminology and explaining their rationale. It then develops an in-depth analysis of particular aspects of Authentic Movement, from the perspective of an expert practitioner using philosophy and the lens of art making. Case studies exemplify how the practices and qualities of Authentic Movement can aid creative, reflective research processes in dance, movement, therapy and research as well as in choreography, pedagogy, psychotherapy and natural sciences. The book emphasises a philosophical and scholarly approach which is rooted in interdisciplinary arts practices and psychotherapy. The book offers a solid grounding and guide to Authentic Movement will be accessible to scholars and students of Dance Movement Therapy, as well as counsellors, dancers, choreographers, psychotherapists and researchers in the arts and humanities.