Reflections on Authentic Movement

This ground-breaking book advances the existing literature on Authentic Movement with an arts practice-led research monograph. It explores the history, practice, and theory of Authentic Movement, integrating the fields of dance, movement, and psychotherapy. Providing a contemporary and new perspective, the book moves beyond the purely therapeutic and spiritual aims of Authentic Movement and opens it up to new applications.

The first part of the book introduces the history and practice of Authentic Movement, describing and illustrating origins, forms, and specific expert terminology while explaining their rationale. It then develops an in-depth analysis of particular aspects of Authentic Movement from the perspective of an expert practitioner using philosophy and the lens of art making.

Case studies exemplify how the practices and qualities of Authentic Movement can aid creative, reflective research processes in dance, movement, therapy, and research, as well as in choreography, pedagogy, psychotherapy, and natural sciences. The book emphasizes a philosophical and scholarly approach rooted in interdisciplinary arts practices and psychotherapy.

This solid grounding and guide to Authentic Movement will be accessible to scholars and students of Dance Movement Therapy, as well as counselors, dancers, choreographers, psychotherapists, and researchers in the arts and humanities.