This graduate-level course introduces the theory and practice of dance and dance/movement therapy as it relates to people living with dementia and will utilize creative movement and DMT methods to teach participants to create a psychologically safe and supportive social and emotional environment where people with dementia can actively engage, inspire, and uplift one another.
Issues will include aging, dementia, and dementia care, the use of self, the role of mirroring, kinesthetic empathy, group dynamics, cultural aspects of care, and the essential elements for creating and adapting dance and expressive movement structures for this population using music and props.
The methodology will include movement experiences in support of understanding attunement through mirroring and sensitive leadership, movement observation, journaling, and discussions.
For further information contact: Cecilia Fontanesi (dmtcoordinator92y [at] gmail [dot] com) Please register early as there is a limit on the number of students.
Upon completion of the course, students who do the required assignments will be eligible to receive 15 hours of Alternate Route credit toward the R-DMT. In addition, 15 hours of CEs from the ADTA are available.
Fri, 6:30-9:30 pm ET (Zoom) Sat, 3-7 pm & Sun, 9 am-6 pm ET
$350 until Oct 21 / $400 after
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Donna Newman-Bluestein, BC-DMT, CMA, LMHC, is a board certified dance/movement therapist, Certified Movement Analyst, licensed mental health counselor, Adjunct Faculty at Lesley University, dancer with Back Pocket Dancers intergenerational company and 2023 Maude’s Awards Recipient for Innovation in Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care. Since receiving her M.Ed. in Expressive Therapies with a major in dance/movement therapy from Lesley University, Donna has worked with children with physical disabilities, adults in acute psychiatric distress and in medical rehabilitation, and with sen ...
Donna Newman-Bluestein, BC-DMT, CMA, LMHC, is a board certified dance/movement therapist, Certified Movement Analyst, licensed mental health counselor, Adjunct Faculty at Lesley University, dancer with Back Pocket Dancers intergenerational company and 2023 Maude’s Awards Recipient for Innovation in Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care. Since receiving her M.Ed. in Expressive Therapies with a major in dance/movement therapy from Lesley University, Donna has worked with children with physical disabilities, adults in acute psychiatric distress and in medical rehabilitation, and with senior adults in long-term care and Assisted Living residences. As an educator, supervisor, trainer and speaker, Donna’s work has focused entirely for the past 15 years on transforming the culture of care for people with dementia through dance and embodied caregiving. To motivate people with advanced dementia to engage with others through movement, Donna invented the Octaband®. She has co-authored numerous articles and published a training manual, The Dance of Interaction: Nonverbal Communication Training for Caregivers of People with Dementia, An Embodied Approach.
Bringing Dance to Older Adults and People with Dementia
Dance Education Laboratory (DEL)
Dante Puleio
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