Dance moves the soul and expresses needs and longings. In today’s world, it is particularly important to recognize and integrate our physical existence. Dancing helps bring physical and mental health into balance. In the process, you get to know yourself and others better. Dance acts as a preventive measure against workplace stress and promotes clear communication.

At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to lead a practical group session and receive feedback from your instructor, after which you will receive the certificate as an “Expression and Dance Educator.”

The training program to become an Expression and Dance Educator is aimed at anyone interested in dance and at professionals in the social and healthcare sectors. During the program, you will have the opportunity to acquire the skills to lead professionally structured dance sessions in groups.

Participants are offered a “buffet” of pedagogical resources and approaches, which supports them in exploring their teaching style. Therefore, as part of the certification process, each participant will lead two short sessions (15–25 minutes) and a full class session (50–60 minutes) as part of the final assessment. The somatic dance techniques and movement approaches used in this training program are based on elements of experiential anatomy, Bartenieff Fundamentals, and BrainDance; Laban and Kestenberg movement analysis; Feldenkrais; Anna Halprin’s Movement Ritual; and the Tamalpa Life/Art Process®. The content is largely taught through improvisation and supports participants in exploring movement impulses within their own bodies. The goal is for participants to develop a deep understanding of the “ingredients” of movement that expand their creative possibilities. This training program teaches a dance class structure that progresses from a warm-up through various improvisational approaches (which can also be used with pre-determined movement material) to choreographic explorations. Participants learn about psychosocial aspects to foster an understanding of psychosocial development, group dynamics, and communication between educators and their future participants. A deeper understanding of how movement serves expression and relationship enables educators to better appreciate and nurture their participants’ potential. This sensitivity is explored. In addition, educators are taught how to support basic self-regulation within a group as part of promoting overall well-being during a class session. This training covers developmental patterns of coordination and the fundamentals of movement as communication. This knowledge is helpful when working with populations with special needs, such as children and adults with intellectual or physical disabilities. The extent to which the application of these exercises with such groups is explored depends on the participants’ interests. Specific methods for teaching such groups will not be part of the course, although recommendations for further sources of information may be provided.

The content of the seminar is not taught as a therapeutic methodology.