programme + workshops + foundation course
Manager Master in Dance Therapy: Nicki Wentholt
As of September 2012, the Master in Dance Therapy is a three-year programme which starts every two years. The current (two-year) programme started in September 2010. The next auditions will be on April 14 and 28, 2012. You can apply until April 1, 2012.
Workshops
In November 2011 and January 2012, Codarts organized two introduction workshops Dance Therapy and Laban Movement Analysis. These workshops, offered on two consecutive Saturdays, are open to anybody interested in dance therapy and movement analysis, and of particular interest for those interested in the Master in Dance Therapy.
Workshop I: November 5 and 12, 2011 - over
Workshop II: January 14 and 21, 2012 - over
Click here for all information about the workshops (pdf).
Foundation course
We developed a 5 days foundation course in dance therapy which consists of 30 hours of experiential work and lectures on the history and application possibilities of dance therapy.
Dates: Monday Feb 27 - Friday March 2, 2012; 5 days (30 hours).
Costs: € 350, including reader(s).
Click here for more information about the foundation course (pdf).
The programme
Codarts has offered a (postgraduate) programme in dance therapy since 1995. One of the principal objectives of this programme, which since 2008 has the full status of a master’s programme, is to broaden the scope of professional opportunities available to dancers and dance teachers, but also for psychologists, movement researchers, physical therapists and social workers, and towards deepening the knowledge and skills of professional therapists. It is the first Master in Dance Therapy in the Netherlands.
The Master in Dance Therapy trains dance therapists to combine therapeutic with research skills. Students learn a professional approach that uses a dance and movement vocabulary based on modern dance, improvisation, and Laban Movement Analysis. The content of the programme and the unambiguously international character of the curriculum and faculty team make this master’s programme unique in Europe. It is recognised as one of the leading programmes in this field.
A dance therapist uses dance and movement to achieve psychotherapeutic goals in providing social and psychological services to children, youth, adults and the elderly. Dance therapy is a nonverbal therapy appropriate for treating patients with psychosocial problems and psychiatric illnesses. The goal of dance therapy is to stimulate change and to help the patient deal with issues through the use of movement and the body. Dance and the creative therapeutic process are the most important tools in this therapy.
Dance therapists work in a variety of professional settings, ranging from (mental) health care, special education and geriatrics to preventive health care. Depending on the specific need, the dance therapist can work either with individual clients or in groups.
There are three components to the curriculum:
- Main subjects: dance therapy theories and methods, the dance therapy group process, Laban Movement Analysis;
- Supporting subjects: psychology/psychotherapy, anatomy/kinesiology, research;
- Professional Practice: therapeutic skills learned through internships and research skills learned through conducting research in the field and writing a thesis.
The relationship between dance/movement and therapy is the central theme of the main subjects. In addition, the programme also devotes attention to specific themes and target groups.
The integration of theory and practice is a connecting thread that runs through the entire programme. This integration is manifested in the content of the different curriculum modules and the way in which the modules link up with each other.
By ensuring that the programme’s learning outcomes are consistent with the requirements maintained by professional associations, students graduating from the programme are qualified to register themselves with associations like the Dutch Federatie Vaktherapeutische Beroepen and the American Dance Therapy Association, an international professional association.
As of September 2012, the Master in Dance Therapy is a three-year programme which starts every two years. The current (two-year) programme started in September 2010.
Classes are taught on Fridays and once a month also on Saturdays. Each year, there are also three intensive weeks of classes, taught in October, February and July. Students need to remember to plan sufficient time for independent study, assignments and internships.
A student who successfully completes the programme (120 European credits) will receive the diploma Master in Dance Therapy, which is recognised by the Dutch government.
Click here for the study guide Master in Dance Therapy 2010-2012/13 (pdf).
To conclude
- After completion of the programme the student receives the title Master in Dance Therapy (MDaT)
- Click here for the Teaching and Examination Regulations
- The language of instruction is Dutch, and English for foreign students
- Codarts maintains the international code of conduct with respect to higher education
- Students follow the programme Master Danstherapie 49108
- The programme was accredited on 01-01-2008 (www.nvao.net)