A-FECT MOVEMENT PHASES AS A TEACHING METHOD/ APPROACH

Today, I define these movement phases as aesthetic, functional, expressive, communicative and transformative (A-FECT), as adapted from my work in 1999 and with Lenore Hervey (Imus & Hervey, 2004) when designing a pedagogical approach to teaching DMT theory to students enrolled in a DMT master’s program.

The phases are not completely exclusive or discrete, as they may overlap and occur simultaneously. They are roughly progressive. Each phase is not only related to the kinds of movement but appeals to particular client characteristics, fundamental mechanisms and modes of information processing such as kinesthetic, sensory, affective, perception, cognition and symbolic. Particular pathologies may influence how a client presents in relation to these movement phases, but the movement phases are not in and of themselves indicative of any pathology. Through an identification of movement phases, dance/movement therapists can better create interventions that will be most appropriate at a given time in the therapy, with a specific population and whether working with a group or individual. All populations may benefit from A-FECT because of the adaptive nature of the therapist’s creative process within the development of the intervention.

In A-FECT, transformation occurs through both the psychological content (the story) and from the transformation of form (matter) through the body and its movements. It is

Figure 9.3 A-FECT

important to once again remember that the separation of matter from form and content is conceptual. The movement becomes objectified and is described through formalized aesthetic descriptions in order to be considered the media or substances which become formed. This teaching methodology provides an example for understanding the taxonomy in DMT as presented in this chapter. The A-FECT method includes a brief reference to the laws/ principles, mechanisms and interventions (see Figure 9.3). The laws/principles need further articulation as they relate to the mechanisms, but to do so is beyond the depth of the introductory nature of this chapter. I invite the reader to deconstruct their personal methodologies/ approaches in the manner presented here to facilitate an understanding of how DMT works (mechanisms) and can best be communicated (approaches/methods) to others.

Aesthetic Movement

The “A” in A-FECT is set aside in writing because it is not a specific phase of movement. Rather, it defines aesthetic mutuality (fundamental mechanism 2) and dynamic concreti-zation (fundamental mechanism 4); the aesthetic experience (combination of 2 & 4) and acts as the platform for the entire DMT session. All the movement phases are influenced by the embodied culture and our relational aesthetic choices. The aesthetic choices of what the therapist “picks up” (Chaiklin & Wengrower, 2009; Sandel, Chaiklin, & Lohn, 1993) determine the movement relationship, aesthetic mutuality and an understanding of the formalized movement language (e.g., Laban’s Body, Effort, Shape, and Space; KMP rhythms; Bartenieffs connectivities) that describes the movement and its formation, dynamic concretization. Dance/movement therapists pick up the components or substances of movement that they are drawn to, through their aesthetic sensibilities, aesthetic preferences and aesthetic values (see aesthetic mutuality-fundamental mechanism 2). Dance/movement therapists make transitional tasks both from their personal aesthetics and from what they pick up and respond to from the client through the therapeutic movement relationship. Creating breeds creating, so there is reciprocity—co-creation. The entire session becomes a work of art (fundamental mechanism 2-aesthetic value of flow), which is why I prompt the client(s) to name the session at its conclusion (fundamental mechanism 5-symbolization and metaphor). The influential beliefs here are: culture is embodied, dance/movement within the therapeutic movement relationship is adaptive, dance/movement is contagious and increases one’s motivation for interaction, dance/movement is relational and creating breeds creating.

Functional/Developmental Movement

The “F” in A-FECT stands for functional/developmental movement and is the practical operations of the body to perform movement tasks to meet the needs of the individual. Dance/movement therapists often respond to the quality or dynamics of the movement performed by the individual through effort/shape and/or developmental movement patterns. This includes encouraging in the patient the observation of not only kinesthetic action but body sensation: interoception, exteroception, proprioception and visceroception.

This phase is a very common place for the therapy to begin. The client may be completely new to DMT, may feel uncomfortable or embarrassed about moving and may be restricted in movement vocabulary. The primary goal is getting the client moving and identifying accompanying felt senses, or kinesthetic awareness. Interventions are often educational (mechanism 9-continuum of approaches) and are focused on functional movement, sensory and body awareness or attention to basic physiological functions like breath, perspiration or heartbeat. Movement may be simply action-oriented, consisting of warm-up suggestions to release physical tension, making safe choices (mechanisms 1-safety and risk) in the movement or establishing appropriate physical intrapersonal and interpersonal boundaries (mechanism 1-safety and risk).

The movement may be aerobic or strength building (mechanism 9-continuum of approaches) rehabilitative and/or focused on postural changes and total body connectivities to improve basic body functioning. Dance/movement therapists intervene with the quality of the movement as it relates to the specified therapeutic outcome. If symbolization is used (mechanism 5-symbolization and metaphor), they will tend to be assigned concrete meaning: “This movement is like chopping wood.” In terms of the relationship, the goal of this phase is the establishment of physical safety and control, stability and trust, on a body level (mechanisms 1-safety and risk and mechanism; 7-empowerment and autonomy). An example of a belief here is that functional and expressive contents of movement are interrelated to activate the physical body and motivate its expression (Bartenieff & Lewis, 2002).

Expressive Movement

The “E” in A-FECT represents expressive movement and relates to the physical channeling of emotional energy and tension discharge. This may be improvisational and playful (mechanism 3-improvisation and play) and may not require a transitional task, nor reciprocity with the therapist. Movement may come more from the unconscious and need for motoric release as related to unconscious motivation and affectual impulses, not functional.

Expressive movement is also a place where many people begin therapy. These clients may be more comfortable with their bodies and may be able to enter spirited, playful, exploratory' or spontaneous movement without much concern for appearances (mechanism

4- improvisation and play). The movement may be associated with feelings, and it may have a cathartic or releasing effect. Interventions are focused on the impulse to move and expansion of movement repertoire; clients make expressive choices based on feelings. Images and metaphors may emerge spontaneously with the movement (mechanism 5-symbohsm and metaphor), but the meaning may remain unclear. Much of the work is autonomous (mechanism 7-empowerment and autonomy). A transitional task may not be necessary from the therapist. Although safety remains important, there is an emphasis on risk taking in working with expressive movement phase (mechanism 1-safety and risk).

The assumptions and beliefs of this phase include but are not limited to: creativity is fostered and enhanced through moving, dance/movement reflects the personality, the unconscious may surface as mobility shifts, dance/movement alters one’s moods and the dance/ movement comes from the inside out—not the outside in like in the functional phase.

Communicative Movement

The “C” in A-FECT stands for communicative movement which becomes more symbolic and metaphoric (mechanism 5-symbolization and metaphor) as it intentionally seeks to be understood and communicated. Communicative movement is defined as movement that must be witnessed and requires a sender, receiver and the creative manifestation. This is when patients have responded to a transitional task that is thematic based, as per the call of the therapist. The movement responses take on a new form through dynamic concretiza-tion (mechanism 3-dynamic concretization), are more symbolic and metaphoric (mechanism

• 5- symbolization and metaphor) and work to achieve coherence and meaning (mechanism
• 6- integration, coherence and meaning making). The dance/movement therapist’s interventions are more individualized in this stage because they aim to more coherently bridge the structural tension within the current reality to the desired health outcome.

Communicative movement is rarely where people begin DMT, and working with this phase takes work to achieve. There is a distinct shift from the two earlier preparatory phases, Functional/Developmental and Expressive, into this movement phase, which is more intentional in its transitional task of deliberate formation of content into form and form into content. Material that arose in earlier phases in images or spontaneous movement is now intentionally embodied into phrases of movement or into narratives. The therapist intervenes by designing specific transitional tasks that help the client shift into making purposeful movement phrases or dances. The role of witness and mover is essential here. The call and response feedback loop are crucial to this communication movement phase, highlighting the power of aesthetic mutuality (mechanism 2-aesthetic mutuality). Symbolism and/or metaphor development tend to be more abstracted in the movement, evidenced by associated images or words (mechanism 5-symbolization and metaphor).

In this phase, the goal is communication. The client makes aesthetic choices in order to communicate affect and/or inform the dance more effectively with newly realized meaning. Formalized descriptors of the movement are often intentionally selected and developed by both the client and the therapist to foster coherence (fundamental mechanism 6-integration, coherence and meaning-making). The results of the movement phase are often in subtle but profound shifts into intentional meaning and vitalization. The fundamental mechanisms in this movement phase are dynamic concretization; symbolization and metaphors; integration, coherence and meaning-making; empowerment and autonomy; continuum of interdisciplinary approaches and clinical decision making. Clinical decision making, which is pervasive throughout a session, is more selective here. This is where the role of evaluation is crucial. The therapist may have to encourage the client to re-form their concretized forms if there is not progress toward session goals or if the dynamic tension between current reality and intended reality is not coherent and/or progressing. The DMT beliefs at this phase are: dance is communication, dance reflects the personality and dance/movement is both the means of assessing and intervening—to name just a few.

Transformative Movement

The “T” stands for transformative with a core task in this movement phase of conscious reflection and integration (mechanism 6-integration, coherence, and meaning-making) of form and content brought forth from the previous phases. It may involve the repetition of created movement phrases or performance of complete dances (mechanism 9-aesthetic choices on the continuum of approaches). In either case, the function is to reflect back upon, or objectify, the creation with the intention of greater conscious understanding, self-empathy and rational evaluation through the development of an observing self (mechanism 6-inte-gration, coherence, and meaning-making). Making meaningful links to life outside of the therapy session is central to this phase. The work at this level may eventually lead to greater compassion with self and others, as well as detachment from previously self-identified material (mechanism 9-psychotherapeutic on the continuum of approaches).

Interventions may include encouraging the client to write or talk about the created dance with the goal of integrating tacit and explicit knowing, feeling and cognition, body and mind or somatic awareness. This phase is the culmination of coherent communication between the self, the concretized creative material and the dance/movement therapist (mechanism 6-integration, coherence, and meaning-making). The results are transformational.

The values, beliefs and assumptions from Figure 9.2 influencing this phase include: the development of congruency between verbal and nonverbal communication, dance/ movement is the mediator between internal perceptions and one’s external environment, and dance/movement integrates the body-mind.

CONCLUSION

Working to clarify a common set of beliefs and assumptions takes time, but it is essential to transform a practice and make it successful (Covey, 2004). The time has come in the discipline of DMT to clarify our common, not individual, set of beliefs, principles/laws and mechanisms. How do we do what we do and why do we do what we do are the guiding questions. Early DMT theorists set the stage by describing what they did (methods) and why (beliefs, assumptions, core concepts, philosophies and values) by developing individual theoretical frameworks. How DMT works—or mechanisms—is still the discipline’s growing edge. With such a multitude of choices toward transformation, what movement phases (A-FECT) do I accentuate to assist my client in meeting their health goals? What interdisciplinary approach (continuum of interdisciplinary approaches) do I take to assist the client with understanding? How do I develop a therapeutic movement relationship (aesthetic mutuality)? What content and movement form do I develop (dynamic concrctization)? How (symbolism and metaphors, empowerment and autonomy) do I formulate transitional tasks (creative interventions) to assist clients in resolving the structural tension between where they arc and what their desired outcome may be? I have outlined how my personal beliefs inform my choices. My strongest assumption is that creating breeds creating. It is a belief that all of the therapist’s intervention choices lead to co-crcation with their client of new forms, followed by their integration into meaning. More needs to be written to reach agreement on the discipline’s laws and mechanisms, not just the approaches and methods from the founding few. This is particularly true as the discipline has advanced and become more culturally diverse. The founding few, however, have created a platform upon which we can further create. Their creating has brilliantly bred ours.

REFERENCES

American Dance Therapy Association. (2016). 147m/ is dance/movement therapy? Retrieved from https://adta. org/faqs/

American Dance Therapy Association. (2017}. Standardsfor education and clinical training. Retrieved from https:// adta.org/ wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ADTA-Standards-for-Education-and-Clinical-Practice-efFec-tive-January-1 -2023.pdf

Arieti, S. (1976). Creativity: The magic synthesis. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Barteniefl, I., & Lewis, D. (2002). Body movement: Coping with the environment.

Bechtel, W. (2008, December). Mechanisms in cognitive psycholog}’: What are the operations? Philosophy of Science, 75,983-994. https://doi.org/10.1086/594540'