Dance Therapy Association of Australia

The Dance Therapy Association of Australia (DTAA) is the professional body for practitioners, students, researchers and others interested in dance therapy. It promotes the growth and development of the dance therapy profession. The professional membership Committee accredits dance therapists who have reached a high level of training and expertise and concerns itself with the ethical and training considerations of professional practice in Australia.

The DTAA also runs conferences and workshops as part of the continued professional development of its members. It provides information and resources for dance therapy practitioners, students and the wider community. Dance therapy emerged as a profession in the US in the 1960s . By the 1970s it had reached Australia, and is now an established therapeutic vocation, combining the creative process and the study of human movements into a holistic approach that draws upon the elements inherent in dance. Programs are designed to meet specific goals and to bring about therapeutic change.

Dance therapists are drawn from backgrounds in dance, education or the health sciences including, for example, teaching, physiotherapy and psychology. Practitioners are required to undergo extensive dance therapy training together with supervised clinical practice. They may be employed specifically as dance therapists, or integrate dance therapy within the broader context of their work.

The DTAA publishes a quarterly journal which includes articles on therapeutic therapy and practice, has an expensive library, practitioner's resource file and information on special populations. There is a supervisor's directory and local international training information for those seeking professional development opportunities.

PACFA Section Expressive Arts Therapies

Website link www.dtaa.org