West Meets East: Dance/Movement Therapy

Abstract

This article reviews the literature regarding the growth of dance/movement therapy (DMT) in the United States and its expansion to East Asian countries. The purpose of the literature-based study is to investigate how Western culture-based dance/movement therapy in the US can be applied to East Asia, where different cultural aspects dominate. This review attempts to initiate both discussion and research on how dance/movement therapy—as a form of psychotherapy—can be relevant in places that have different cultural social norms, life styles, and relationships. This study indicates that considerations of cultural aspects are crucial to indigenizing dance/movement therapy in new settings.