Jewish Roots and Principles of Dance Therapy

Abstract

A striking number of the early dance therapists in the United States were Jewish women. Beginning their work in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s, these pioneers of dance therapy came from diverse Jewish communities, ranging from very religious to secular/socialist. Many of these communities were marked by recent upheaval and trauma. While not all of these women draw a direct link between their Jewish backgrounds and their dance therapy practice, their work often reflects certain themes in Jewish tradition, history, and culture. Many of these women also describe their dance therapy practice as an expression of Jewish spirituality and Jewish values, especially the principle of tikkun olam, or repairing the world. That vision continues to influence the development and global spread of dance therapy.