HEMF Funded Research Studies

2019

Through the Web

Date: 2019

Author / Researcher: Verity Danbold

Project Description:

Verity Danbold was awarded $2500 to conduct her research study, Through the Web.  This study sought to explore if, and how, DMT could be practised safely and effectively online. It further aimed to address the gap in research and practice in online DMT, recognising a global trend towards online psychosocial care which accelerated during Covid-19. Verity’s report will be published in the DTAA journal, Moving On, in 2022.

2017

Dancing Together: Developing, trialling and evaluating a program of dance movement therapy for Indigenous Australians recovering from trauma in remote areas of Australia

Date: 2017

Author / Researcher: A. Jordan

Project Description:

Alexandra Jordan was awarded $3000 for her participation in the project Dancing Together: Developing, trialling and evaluating a program of dance movement therapy for Indigenous Australians recovering from trauma in remote areas of Australia. Exploring whether indigenous Australians’ recovery from trauma can be supported by dance movement therapy. The Chapter, The Dance of Life with Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander Peoples was published by Jordan, A., Searle, S., and Dunphy, K. (2017) in Dance Therapy Collections 4, 51-66.

2016

Implementing of iPad app for DMT assessment in dance therapy clinical practice in New Zealand – a project across contexts and cultures

Date: 2016

Author / Researcher: J-H Jacquelyn Wan

Project Description:

Jung-Hsu Jacquelyn Wan was awarded $2,500 for her participation in the project entitled Implementing of iPad app for DMT assessment in dance therapy clinical practice in New Zealand – a project across contexts and cultures, which explores the possibility of establishing an agreed set of objectives and related measures for specific areas of DMT practice.  A report on this project is published in Moving On, Vol.16,1 & 2.

2013

Researching dance movement therapy approaches to well-being for women in Timor-Leste

Date: 2013

Author / Researcher: M. Jacobsson

Project Description:

Marita Jacobson received a grant of $2,000 for her project titled: Researching dance movement therapy approaches to well-being for women in Timor-Leste. This project was intended to build on a pilot study previously undertaken in Timor–Leste by Australian dance movement therapists. It aimed to develop a better understanding of how dance movement, offered in conjunction with other creative arts therapies, can contribute to women’s health and well-being in Timor-Leste, where individuals have experienced significant traumatic events due to decades of political and civil strife. A report on the project is published in Moving On, (Vol 15 Nos 1-2) 2018.

2013

“Capture”- documenting the history of a DMT group that has been in existence for more than 30 years

Date: 2013

Author / Researcher: K.A. Peel

Project Description:

Kim Adele Peel received a grant for her project, Capture, to document the history of a DMT group that has been in existence for more than 30 years. This project was intended to investigate what contributes to the longevity of a group and the difference the group has made to the lives of the participants. A compilation of historical and current film footage, and recorded interviews with the dance movement therapists and participants of the group were presented in a combined package of DVD and written media. This project makes available archival material to the DMT community for educational use.  It also enables the contribution of dance movement therapy to be better known in the community at large. 

2012

Development of an app for assessment in dance movement therapy

Date: 2012

Authors / Researchers: K. Dunphy and S. Mullane

Project Description:

Kim Dunphy and Sue Mullane were awarded $2000 to assist with the development of an app for assessment in dance movement therapy which is a conversion of their Framework for Dance-Movement Therapy Assessment. The project was intended to provide a user-friendly tool for dance movement therapists as well as practitioners in related disciplines. The app also received an ‘Award for Innovation in Dance Movement Therapy’, from the American Dance Therapy Association in October 2015. The project was completed and documented in Sue Mullane’s article in Moving On, (Vol 12 Nos 3-4), 2014.

2011

How effective is the Framework for Dance-Movement Assessment when used within the DEECD assessment framework in the context of a dance movement therapy program in a special needs school?

Date: 2011

Author / Researcher: S. Mullane

Project Description:

Sue Mullane was awarded a grant for her study entitled How Effective is the Framework for Dance-Movement Assessment (developed by Kim Dunphy and Sue Mullane) when used within the DEECD assessment framework in the context of a dance movement therapy program in a special needs school. Her report was published as Evidence of Learning – how can we know about student progress in school-based DMT programs in Moving On, (Vol 11 Nos 3-4) 2014.

2009

Intergenerational dance/movement therapy: Connections between two generations date: 2009

Author / Researcher: J. Lesosky

Project Description:


Jessica Lesosky was awarded a grant for her study Intergenerational Dance/Movement Therapy: Connections Between Two Generations. This project was completed in 2009 and was reported in Moving On, (Vol 8 Nos 3-4) 2009.

2007

Survey of dance movement therapy to document and map current practice in Australia

Date: 2007

Authors / Researchers: K.Dunphy, T. Hearnes &  J. Toumbourou

Project Description:

The first grants were awarded in 2007. Kim Dunphy and collaborators Tessa Hearnes and Professor John Toumbourou were awarded a grant to undertake a survey of dance movement therapy to document and map current practice in Australia. This project’s results were presented at the DTAA Conference in November 2007, and the American Dance Therapy Conference in October 2008. The final report was published as a chapter, Dance movement therapy in Australia: a survey of practitioners and practice in Dance Therapy Collections 3, 52-65.