5 Reasons Why Western Dance Therapy is Effective for Autism Spectrum People

27th Apr, 2022

Dance is therapeutic and benefits both the mental and physical health of people. A blend of music and exercise helps people balance their emotions. People on the autism spectrum are often encouraged to pursue hip hop dance. Western dance therapy can bring significant developments in people even after only one session. The top reasons for people on the autism spectrum to opt for western dance therapy are as follows:

Katie's Story: Dance/Movement Therapy

1. Ability to Freely Express Emotions

The best part about dance therapy is that it lets people freely express their emotions. Even people on the autism spectrum with limited mobility can express themselves through dance. Sometimes dance therapists encourage patients to suggest songs to make them feel more involved. Especially a dance form like hip hop enables people to be expressive. People are encouraged to match the mood and tempo of the song through their movements.

Some songs make a person feel happy, while some songs make them high on energy. Some songs even make people who have not been very expressive show their emotions. Thus, dance therapy encourages people to use their non-verbal communication skills. It provides an opportunity to build better connections with people.

2. Improves Physical Fitness

People on the autism spectrum are often in need of motor skills development. Dance can not only improve fitness but also improve the movements of people on the autism spectrum. Hip hop for beginners starts with warm-up sessions where everyone is encouraged to try some basic moves. The initial sessions often revolve around incorporating different hip hop styles. People with limited mobility are made to move the body parts that they are comfortable moving.

Sometimes stretching and breathing exercises are incorporated into the warm up sessions to prepare their body for moving. Teaching the basics helps with strengthening muscles, prevents injuries, and improves flexibility. With a focus on strength and coordination, the gross motor skills of people on the autism spectrum get improved. They also learn to improve their posture during the dance as well as in day-to-day activities.

3. Fosters Imagination and Creativity

The best part about dance therapy is that it fosters the creativity of people on the autism spectrum. When they join hip hop classes, they will be made to learn choreographies quite often. Choreographed routines help in improving people’s memory and recapitulation capacity. But people are also allowed to set their own choreographies in dance classes. Sometimes a song is played, and students are asked to groove along.

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Hip hop dance often revolves around freestyling, where dancers are asked to be spontaneous. In dance therapy, students are sometimes made to focus on a certain emotion before they start freestyling. For instance, students might be asked to think about a happy memory before they start freestyling to a peppy song. Students might be asked to recollect a moment of grief before they start freestyling to an emotional piece of music.

4. Stress Relief

Dance therapy is effective in reducing mental or emotional stress in people. Once you try hip hop for beginners, you will notice an improvement in your emotional state. It focuses on the interaction between the body and mind to have a positive impact on people’s moods. Dance therapy also encourages people to make better decisions as they are able to concentrate on varying possibilities in a specific situation. People often begin to understand themselves better due to some dance movements.

5. Increased Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem

Dance therapy has the ability to increase self-confidence and self-esteem. People on the autism spectrum are able to interact with others in dance classes. They are often made to perform in groups or pairs. It helps them build better dynamics with people. When they earn appreciation from their dance instructor, they feel more confident.

With regular dance classes, they also become more confident about showcasing their skills in public. They can take part in competitions and contests to enhance their dancing skills. It does not matter whether they win or not since participating in competitions helps them learn something or the other.

Our Final Thoughts

Undergoing dance therapy is extremely beneficial for people on the autism spectrum. They will particularly benefit from hip hop dance as it enables students to be creative.

Hip hop improves both physical and mental health in people.

People on the autism spectrum will become better at handling situations once they start undergoing dance therapy. If you are looking for a good place to learn hip hop, don’t forget to check https://kafqa.com/.

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