PhD Thesis by Thania Acaron
This interdisciplinary thesis examines the role of dance/movement in training
programmes, which a... more This interdisciplinary thesis examines the role of dance/movement in training
programmes, which address peace, violence, conflict and trauma. Despite the growing
literature and scholarly interest in embodied practices, few training programmes
address dance/movement peace explicitly, identify shared beliefs or make connections
between movement behaviour and decision-making. The research questions explore
how dance/movement trainers experience, implement and conceptualise embodied
processes that enable the transformation of conflict, particularly concerning
interpersonal and/or intergroup violence. In order to investigate this question, an
‘internal’ analysis of relations and practices amongst its practitioners progresses to an
‘external’ analysis of contributions to arts-based peace practices and peacebuilding.
Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced trainers working
internationally who use artistic, therapeutic and educational approaches to peace
practices. The practitioners’ curricula and training materials were examined using
thematic analysis and qualitative analysis software (NVivo). The data analysis results
in a map of shared beliefs, positionality and boundary shifts amongst the respondents,
and proposes an exploration of practices applicable to multiple settings and client
groups.
This thesis presents new research in Communities of Practice (CoP) theory with artistic
communities. It also deepens previous research on dance/movement peace practices
and movement analysis, which sustains peaceable and violent actions can be
understood through conscious and/or unconscious movement decision-making
processes. The thesis concludes that embodied processes involve reflexive and enactive
interventions, and proposes analyses of spatial relations, symbolic enactment and
relational nonverbal interactions as key contributions of dance/movement. These
embodied processes challenge ‘conventional’ forms of knowledge transmission and the
arts’ constant pressure for legitimisation. The thematic exploration of shared practices
and beliefs therefore integrates movement analysis and social theory to present an
interdisciplinary contribution to embodied analyses of violence.
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Articles by Thania Acaron
American Journal of Dance Therapy, 2023
The 27th ADTA International Panel explored the journeys of dance/movement therapists who have exp... more The 27th ADTA International Panel explored the journeys of dance/movement therapists who have experienced both the realities and challenges of the immigrant experience: learning a new language, leaving a familiar culture, uprooting families, leaving friends, and becoming a member of a new community. Nine panelists offered a verbal description of their unique stories which were accompanied by videos demonstrating their personal dance/movement expressions. By listening and observing, we had the valuable opportunity to see the resilience of adaptation and acclimation that is inherent in dance/movement therapists from around the world. The following are abridged and edited versions of the panel presentations which have been modified to provide an overview of the panel. The complete transcript, with references and links to accompanying videos, can be found by accessing the 2022 ADTA Conference Proceedings via the American Dance Therapy Association and via the following YouTube link: https://youtu.be/fAN_81CMTk8?si=UVfq8kTXr_4YEUjP.
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Journal of Peace Education, 2018
Studying parallels between movement behaviour and violent actions can help understand interdiscip... more Studying parallels between movement behaviour and violent actions can help understand interdisciplinary possibilities for prevention, intervention, mediation and post-conflict healing. This article builds an argument towards the role of unconscious and conscious movement decision-making and their role in violent/peaceful interactions. It outlines a research-based conceptual framework illustrating stages of decision-making through embodied processes based on theoretical constructs from movement analysis. These stages (Flow/Tension, Attention, Intention, Action and Reflection/Evaluation) were initially studied in movement observation systems, but dance/movement practitioners have uncovered its strong applicability to work with interpersonal and intergroup conflict, peacebuilding curricula and training. Flow/Tension refers to bodily practices addressing physiological responses to conflict and the regulation of tension internally and then socially. The Attention stage involves the development of spatial awareness, and attention to the environment. Intention categorises practices that emphasised fostering the capacity for self-evaluation, addressing needs assertively and mitigating ethical pressure. The Action stage implicates impulses, commitment and also includes non-action, and the possibility of reverting to one of the previous stages. The Reflection and Evaluation stage promotes reflexivity in both practitioner and participants, and an ongoing , embodied and dynamic evaluation of peace practices. Empirical data and case examples are presented to illustrate the framework. This article helps bridge social theory and movement analysis in an effort to understand how the body is implicated in violence and peace. It introduces a much-needed focus on the body in conflict that can inform interventions by peace practitioners from all fields.
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(in press)
This article introduces innovative methods of skill-building and fostering sustainable practice i... more This article introduces innovative methods of skill-building and fostering sustainable practice in professional development and workplace wellbeing, presented here through the embodied decision making model. The model helps identify body-based stressors, assess environmental factors and clarify needs and priorities in order to map potential courses of action/non-action through an examination of embodied processes. It illustrates a non-linear, dynamic process with theoretical basis on movement analysis systems and developmental frameworks. Gaps in current decision-making research on individual differences are identified, sustaining that body-based factors remain absent and require further examination. An original contribution of this article is to explore the connection between decision-making and embodied self-reflexivity in professional practice. Data gathered from professional development workshops are applied thematically to illustrate the potential for practice-based embodied frameworks. The term 'variables of insight' is introduced as an exploration of micro-and macro-processes in the stages embodied decision making as an innovative vector of analysis that substantiates the relevance of movement and symbolic content in reflexive practice. The article concludes that dynamic models, which account for individual differences and maintain an integrated view of body-mind, can challenge the notion of decision-making as a standardised and cognitive-focused process, while maintaining an inclusive and diverse client-centred stance.
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How does the body shape space, and space shape bodies in the face of violence? This paper propose... more How does the body shape space, and space shape bodies in the face of violence? This paper proposes an interdisciplinary conceptual framework on characteristics of interpersonal and intrapersonal negotiations of space. I discuss how ‘personal’ spatial boundaries and ‘levels’ of space are constituted, sculpted, impacted and negotiated across realms of lived experience. Categorizations are proposed according to embodied dimensions of the uses and perceptions of space: body centrality, portability, extensibility and transversality. Spatial analyses often exclude theories from movement and body-based disciplines, therefore an embodied approach is brought forth as a way to explore the relationship between spatial relations and different forms of violence. The impact on particular bodies, especially women and people with disabilities are analyzed in terms of their spatial components, weaving in considerations from the field of movement analysis into social theory.
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Journal of Creativity in Mental Health
‘Perspectives’ is a special feature included in this issue of the Journal of Creativity in Mental... more ‘Perspectives’ is a special feature included in this issue of the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health. It provides mental health professionals with an opportunity to discuss their positions on a variety of creativity-related topics. In this column, Thania Acarón, board-certified dance/movement therapist, dancer, educator, and curriculum designer, presents critical viewpoints on the disconnection of the body in modern society. She explores the ethical and academic responsibilities of professionals working with the arts with special populations within the worlds of both the arts and the health professions.This article presents critical viewpoints on the disconnection of the body in modern society and the inherent resistance involving the body-mind connection. The ethical and academic responsibilities of professionals working with the arts with special populations are explored both within the worlds of the arts and the health professions. Venues for interdisciplinary collaboration that can help heal the body-mind gap are considered.
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Book Chapters by Thania Acaron
Gender and Difference in the Arts Therapies: Inscribed on the Body, edited by Susan Hogan, 2019
This chapter provides an introduction to collaborative creative arts therapies practice with clie... more This chapter provides an introduction to collaborative creative arts therapies practice with clients who identify as gender and sexually diverse identities. Its objective is to examine gender identity and sexual orientation in the context of interdisciplinary therapeutic work in a community-based setting in Scotland. The authors will particularly focus on art and movement interventions, contributing relevant themes in working with clients who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or related identities (LGBT+).
The chapter reviews current research on art therapy and dance movement therapy with LGBT+ clients, identifying gaps and opportunities for further research. It follows with an exploration of the external/internal self, LGBT+ visibility and identity as key thematic areas for creative work in relation to mental health. Finally, the authors examine a case example of collaborative creative arts workshops focusing on skin as a barrier, which serves to protect, expose and transform internal and external aspects of our identity.
The authors explore interdisciplinary arts practice with a client group that has been historically marginalised and has limited representation in creative arts therapy research. It presents an affirmative stance in creating constructive experiences of therapy for LGBT+ clients, and the opportunities offered by an integration of movement and art.
Reference:
Acarón, Thania, and Alison Wren. 2019. “Under the Skin: Barriers and Opportunities for Dance Movement Therapy & Art Psychotherapy with LGBT+ Clients.” In Gender and Difference in the Arts Therapies: Inscribed on the Body, edited by Susan Hogan, 24–35. London and New York: Routledge.
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Peacebuilding and the Arts (Palgrave), 2020
This chapter analyses the intersection between cultural memory and public mourning from a body-ba... more This chapter analyses the intersection between cultural memory and public mourning from a body-based perspective. The analysis is based on ethnography of the re-enactment of funerary rituals in the ten year commemoration of the Massacre of Bojayá in Colombia. Funerary rituals could not be conducted in the aftermath of the massacre, where 48 children died inside a church. Traditional rituals include dance, songs and movements that aim to help the child soul to become an angelito [little angel], a protector for their families and godparents. However, the re-enactment of the rituals has additional political, social and cultural functions. The chapter argues that the activities and practices of dance mediate social transformation and can support peacebuilding and memorialization processes in settings where atrocities have recently occurred and where threats of violence are still present. It also present arguments for the importance of focusing on dance in conflict and in moving towards peace, which at times remains ‘unseen’ in peacebuilding literature. These claims are brought forward through a case study that explores how dance performances, in the form of funerary rituals performed in the annual commemoration of the massacre of Bojayá, Colombia, affect both those that perform as well as those who witness them. These rituals aim to mediate the memory of the grievances that have been committed and continue to occur within this community. In this context, the body in both material and symbolic form serves as a vehicle of resistance, expression, and visibility of the potential for transformation. The chapter concludes with a critical analysis of the social functions of dance in the context of peacebuilding and the challenges presented by this case study.
Reference: Ríos, Sandra, and Thania Acarón. ‘Peacebuilding and Dance in Afro-Colombian Funerary Ritual’. In Peacebuilding and the Arts, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gisselle Vincett, Theodora Hawksley, and Hal Culbertson, 395–413. Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030178741#aboutBook.
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Oxford Handbook for Dance and Wellbeing, 2017
This chapter explores whether the use of choreography, dance technique and performance in dance/m... more This chapter explores whether the use of choreography, dance technique and performance in dance/movement psychotherapy (DMP) hinders or enhances the therapeutic process and how these modes of practice might impact the patient/client’s wellbeing. The inherent cathartic nature of performance proposes a tension between the healing facets of therapeutic material that emerges from dance and questions of ethics around client confidentiality. The therapeutic performance, as developed within a DMP context, is defined and described using examples from the author's practice as an active performer and dance movement psychotherapist. The use of choreographic tools, and specific dance styles in DMP are explored as potential interventions, taking into consideration its benefits and risks to the therapeutic relationship. A case study is presented which makes the connection between the therapeutic performance and patient/client wellbeing. Through making these connections, this chapter aims to explore an underdeveloped area within the field, focusing on the therapeutic potential of public performances of movement created during the sessions, to maintain a clinical balance between the private self within the session, and the public self that others witness.
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Translations (Español) & Workbooks by Thania Acaron
Authorized Spanish Translation from: Claire Schmais (1985) Healing Processes in Group Dance Movem... more Authorized Spanish Translation from: Claire Schmais (1985) Healing Processes in Group Dance Movement Therapy American Journal of Dance Therapy Vol. 8, 17-36
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This paper outlines the ethics and responsibilities of professionals working in the arts in thera... more This paper outlines the ethics and responsibilities of professionals working in the arts in therapy field. Published in the body therapies magazines Kiné.
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books.google.com
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Book Reviews by Thania Acaron
Cooperation and Conflict, 2016
Book Review: The Choreography of Resolution: Conflict, Movement and Neuroscience Editors: Michell... more Book Review: The Choreography of Resolution: Conflict, Movement and Neuroscience Editors: Michelle LeBaron, Carrie MacLeod and Andrew Floyer Acland Chicago: American Bar Association, 2013, 306 pages, $69.95
ISBN: 978-1-62722-137-5
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Body, Movement and Dance in Psychotherapy , 2018
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Conference Presentations by Thania Acaron
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In the Church of Bellavista (Bojayá, Colombia), 79 civilians and among these 48 children were kil... more In the Church of Bellavista (Bojayá, Colombia), 79 civilians and among these 48 children were killed as a result of the armed confrontation between guerrillas and paramilitaries with complicity of some members of the State in 2002. The destruction of bodies and continued shootings after the massacre led to a forced absence of the customary Afro-Colombian funerary rituals and an inability to mourn the deaths of these children.
The municipality of Bojayá is inhabited by Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities. In the case of Bojayá, both the local grassroots Catholic Church and the Afro-Colombian and indigenous religion has had an important role in the construction of social memory of the massacre. The focus of this article is on the re-enactment of a funerary ritual in a context of commemoration of the massacre of Bojayá: the Gualí, where the child’s corpse being passed hand to hand, while they sing, dance, and play. In this paper we analyze how rituals are a mechanism for peacebuilding, particularly in the construction of social memory eleven years after the massacre, delving into the role of dance/movement in these practices. We will focus on the re-enactment of rituals as a form of memorialization from a perspective of the ritualesque (Santino, 2011).
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In what ways can dance/movement make a difference in preventing or mediating violence? Violence e... more In what ways can dance/movement make a difference in preventing or mediating violence? Violence exerts a profound impact on the body that can pervade all areas of social life. This paper examines those aspects of dance/movement that are used in violence prevention, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, complementing the crucial work of other arts disciplines. Practice-based examples will be derived from a variety of contexts, such as schools, post-conflict arenas and work in urban disadvantaged areas. The role of dance/movement psychotherapy, dance education and performance within these settings will be analysed, along with cross-disciplinary areas of intersection. The aim is to provide prospective research directions and a groundwork for collaborative work within disciplines, moving towards the inclusion of a body-based framework within peacebuilding and violence prevention.
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Papers by Thania Acaron
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PhD Thesis by Thania Acaron
programmes, which address peace, violence, conflict and trauma. Despite the growing
literature and scholarly interest in embodied practices, few training programmes
address dance/movement peace explicitly, identify shared beliefs or make connections
between movement behaviour and decision-making. The research questions explore
how dance/movement trainers experience, implement and conceptualise embodied
processes that enable the transformation of conflict, particularly concerning
interpersonal and/or intergroup violence. In order to investigate this question, an
‘internal’ analysis of relations and practices amongst its practitioners progresses to an
‘external’ analysis of contributions to arts-based peace practices and peacebuilding.
Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced trainers working
internationally who use artistic, therapeutic and educational approaches to peace
practices. The practitioners’ curricula and training materials were examined using
thematic analysis and qualitative analysis software (NVivo). The data analysis results
in a map of shared beliefs, positionality and boundary shifts amongst the respondents,
and proposes an exploration of practices applicable to multiple settings and client
groups.
This thesis presents new research in Communities of Practice (CoP) theory with artistic
communities. It also deepens previous research on dance/movement peace practices
and movement analysis, which sustains peaceable and violent actions can be
understood through conscious and/or unconscious movement decision-making
processes. The thesis concludes that embodied processes involve reflexive and enactive
interventions, and proposes analyses of spatial relations, symbolic enactment and
relational nonverbal interactions as key contributions of dance/movement. These
embodied processes challenge ‘conventional’ forms of knowledge transmission and the
arts’ constant pressure for legitimisation. The thematic exploration of shared practices
and beliefs therefore integrates movement analysis and social theory to present an
interdisciplinary contribution to embodied analyses of violence.
Articles by Thania Acaron
Book Chapters by Thania Acaron
The chapter reviews current research on art therapy and dance movement therapy with LGBT+ clients, identifying gaps and opportunities for further research. It follows with an exploration of the external/internal self, LGBT+ visibility and identity as key thematic areas for creative work in relation to mental health. Finally, the authors examine a case example of collaborative creative arts workshops focusing on skin as a barrier, which serves to protect, expose and transform internal and external aspects of our identity.
The authors explore interdisciplinary arts practice with a client group that has been historically marginalised and has limited representation in creative arts therapy research. It presents an affirmative stance in creating constructive experiences of therapy for LGBT+ clients, and the opportunities offered by an integration of movement and art.
Reference:
Acarón, Thania, and Alison Wren. 2019. “Under the Skin: Barriers and Opportunities for Dance Movement Therapy & Art Psychotherapy with LGBT+ Clients.” In Gender and Difference in the Arts Therapies: Inscribed on the Body, edited by Susan Hogan, 24–35. London and New York: Routledge.
Reference: Ríos, Sandra, and Thania Acarón. ‘Peacebuilding and Dance in Afro-Colombian Funerary Ritual’. In Peacebuilding and the Arts, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gisselle Vincett, Theodora Hawksley, and Hal Culbertson, 395–413. Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030178741#aboutBook.
Translations (Español) & Workbooks by Thania Acaron
Book Reviews by Thania Acaron
ISBN: 978-1-62722-137-5
Conference Presentations by Thania Acaron
The municipality of Bojayá is inhabited by Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities. In the case of Bojayá, both the local grassroots Catholic Church and the Afro-Colombian and indigenous religion has had an important role in the construction of social memory of the massacre. The focus of this article is on the re-enactment of a funerary ritual in a context of commemoration of the massacre of Bojayá: the Gualí, where the child’s corpse being passed hand to hand, while they sing, dance, and play. In this paper we analyze how rituals are a mechanism for peacebuilding, particularly in the construction of social memory eleven years after the massacre, delving into the role of dance/movement in these practices. We will focus on the re-enactment of rituals as a form of memorialization from a perspective of the ritualesque (Santino, 2011).
Papers by Thania Acaron
programmes, which address peace, violence, conflict and trauma. Despite the growing
literature and scholarly interest in embodied practices, few training programmes
address dance/movement peace explicitly, identify shared beliefs or make connections
between movement behaviour and decision-making. The research questions explore
how dance/movement trainers experience, implement and conceptualise embodied
processes that enable the transformation of conflict, particularly concerning
interpersonal and/or intergroup violence. In order to investigate this question, an
‘internal’ analysis of relations and practices amongst its practitioners progresses to an
‘external’ analysis of contributions to arts-based peace practices and peacebuilding.
Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced trainers working
internationally who use artistic, therapeutic and educational approaches to peace
practices. The practitioners’ curricula and training materials were examined using
thematic analysis and qualitative analysis software (NVivo). The data analysis results
in a map of shared beliefs, positionality and boundary shifts amongst the respondents,
and proposes an exploration of practices applicable to multiple settings and client
groups.
This thesis presents new research in Communities of Practice (CoP) theory with artistic
communities. It also deepens previous research on dance/movement peace practices
and movement analysis, which sustains peaceable and violent actions can be
understood through conscious and/or unconscious movement decision-making
processes. The thesis concludes that embodied processes involve reflexive and enactive
interventions, and proposes analyses of spatial relations, symbolic enactment and
relational nonverbal interactions as key contributions of dance/movement. These
embodied processes challenge ‘conventional’ forms of knowledge transmission and the
arts’ constant pressure for legitimisation. The thematic exploration of shared practices
and beliefs therefore integrates movement analysis and social theory to present an
interdisciplinary contribution to embodied analyses of violence.
The chapter reviews current research on art therapy and dance movement therapy with LGBT+ clients, identifying gaps and opportunities for further research. It follows with an exploration of the external/internal self, LGBT+ visibility and identity as key thematic areas for creative work in relation to mental health. Finally, the authors examine a case example of collaborative creative arts workshops focusing on skin as a barrier, which serves to protect, expose and transform internal and external aspects of our identity.
The authors explore interdisciplinary arts practice with a client group that has been historically marginalised and has limited representation in creative arts therapy research. It presents an affirmative stance in creating constructive experiences of therapy for LGBT+ clients, and the opportunities offered by an integration of movement and art.
Reference:
Acarón, Thania, and Alison Wren. 2019. “Under the Skin: Barriers and Opportunities for Dance Movement Therapy & Art Psychotherapy with LGBT+ Clients.” In Gender and Difference in the Arts Therapies: Inscribed on the Body, edited by Susan Hogan, 24–35. London and New York: Routledge.
Reference: Ríos, Sandra, and Thania Acarón. ‘Peacebuilding and Dance in Afro-Colombian Funerary Ritual’. In Peacebuilding and the Arts, edited by Jolyon Mitchell, Gisselle Vincett, Theodora Hawksley, and Hal Culbertson, 395–413. Rethinking Peace and Conflict Studies. Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030178741#aboutBook.
ISBN: 978-1-62722-137-5
The municipality of Bojayá is inhabited by Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities. In the case of Bojayá, both the local grassroots Catholic Church and the Afro-Colombian and indigenous religion has had an important role in the construction of social memory of the massacre. The focus of this article is on the re-enactment of a funerary ritual in a context of commemoration of the massacre of Bojayá: the Gualí, where the child’s corpse being passed hand to hand, while they sing, dance, and play. In this paper we analyze how rituals are a mechanism for peacebuilding, particularly in the construction of social memory eleven years after the massacre, delving into the role of dance/movement in these practices. We will focus on the re-enactment of rituals as a form of memorialization from a perspective of the ritualesque (Santino, 2011).