In-Depth Notes on Attunement and Misattunement in Dance Movement Therapy

Key Concepts in Dance Movement Therapy (DMT)

  • Attunement and Misattunement:
    • Attunement involves the alignment of emotions and movements between participants, leading to a shared, harmonious experience.
    • Misattunement refers to the lack of emotional and kinetic alignment, resulting in feelings of disconnection and discomfort.

Research Context and Methodology

  • Study Purpose:

    • To explore how participants experience moments of attunement and misattunement in DMT workshops.

  • Methodology:

    • Quasi-experimental design with phenomenological inquiry.
    • Utilized Laban Movement Analysis and grounded theory coding for data analysis.

  • Participants:

    • Four students in expressive arts therapies participated in four DMT workshops, focusing on mutual attunement.

  • Workshops Structure:

    • Each workshop included warm-up, body awareness exercises, dance movement improvisation, and closure, lasting 60-90 minutes.

  • Observational Tools:

    • Attunement/Misattunement Observational Checklist to guide movement analysis, focusing on categories of movement: body, shape, effort, and space.

Findings on Attunement

  • Experience of Self-Attunement:

    • Defined by absence of thought and presence in the moment.
    • Participants reported feelings of joy, wholeness, and fullness during self-attunement.

  • Spontaneity and Embodiment:

    • Spontaneity allows participants to express inner impulses freely.
    • Embodiment refers to the unity of mind and body experienced during movement.

  • Intersubjective Attunement:

    • Participants described mutual energy exchange, creative co-creation, and playful interactions in paired dance.

  • Group Attunement:

    • A shared sense of unity and collective movement experience, leading to feelings of oneness in the group.

Findings on Misattunement

  • Misattunement to Self:

    • Associated with feelings of constrainment and self-censorship, leading to controlled and less spontaneous movements.
    • Often linked to fear, doubt, and insecurity, impacting overall expressive quality.

  • Misattunement to Others:

    • Participants expressed self-doubt and fear when focused on others, resulting in disharmony and disrupted movement dynamics.

  • Misattunement to Group:

    • Participants felt excluded when unable to connect with the group's movements or energy, highlighting the importance of synchronous movement for social bonding.

Impact of Music and Movement

  • Role of Music:

    • Facilitates coordination and synchronization of movement, enhancing attunement during DMT sessions.

  • Kinesthetic Empathy:

    • Seen as crucial for fostering relationships and enhancing intersubjective experiences through non-verbal signals and mirroring.

Limitations of the Study

  • Small sample size and non-clinical setting suggest findings may not generalize to wider dance movement therapy contexts.

Research Future Directions

  • Larger studies with clinical populations are needed to further explore attunement and misattunement dynamics in DMT practices.