Dance-based interventions in clinical populations: not all are the same
Michail Elpidoforou, Antonios Boultadakis, John Parissis, Dimitrios Farmakis
Frontiers in Psychology October 17, 2025 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1668357 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Music therapy Psychological intervention Dance therapy Autonomy The arts Massage Association psychology Intervention counseling Psychotherapist Performing arts Expression computer science Value mathematics Therapeutic relationship Rhythm |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key points | Argues that dance, defined as bodily movement with symbolic or aesthetic value in cultural and rhythmic contexts, serves artistic, educational, training, recreational, therapeutic, and religious purposes, and contends that as a physical activity it promotes physical, cognitive, psychological, and social integration while enhancing neuroplasticity and functional autonomy. |
Abstract
Dance is described as a phenomenon in which the human body and its movement, that may have a symbolic or aesthetic value within a variable cultural and rhythmical context, are the primary tools for the human expression and communication under artistic, educational, training, recreational, therapeutic, religious, or other purposes (Basso et al. , 2020; Elpidoforou, 2016; Elpidoforou et al. , 2025). As a physical activity, dance motivates physical, cognitive, psychological, and social individual's integration, while it enhances neuroplasticity and functional autonomy (Dhami et al. , 2014; Foster, 2013; Kattenstroth et al. , 2010).