Not many people can say that their work is their passion. But dance therapist
Joanabbey Sack says exactly that. She was born with a love of dancing and
movement, and she found a way to turn that love into a career.
"Everyone should be so lucky," says Sack. "I love to dance, and it just
happens to be what I do every day as a job. I don't have to separate work
from my passion in life. I don't have to look for a way to use dance in everyday
life. This is the perfect job."
Sack works at five different places as a dance therapist, including a university.
She also works with autistic children, and as a consultant for a center for
the arts in human development. That's a big time commitment.
"It's a lot of work, definitely much more than 40 hours a week," Sack says
with a laugh. "So I wouldn't advise this kind of job for someone who only
wants to work eight hours, five days a week. It doesn't work that way."
The job is also very physically demanding. "You get mentally and physically
worn out sometimes," says Sack. "By the time you are done, your body and mind
are zapped.
"Every day you make tough decisions, too. I'm directing people all the
time, helping them find a way to help themselves. So I have to be on the ball,
awake, strong and confident in myself."
Apart from the time commitment and physical demands, Sack finds her work
very satisfying. "I'm lucky because I'm somebody who can say [I] really enjoy
what I do because my life is dancing. I encourage anyone I know to find what
it is you love, and then try to build a career on that. Then you will be truly
happy."
Dance therapist Michael Gardos-Reid works in his private practice and at
a hospital in Minnesota. He agrees that the work of dance therapists is challenging
but worthwhile.
"This career constantly challenges me to respond to the people I am with
at the moment," says Gardos-Reid. "It's good to see others grow and heal.
That makes it a rewarding profession."
The other challenge Gardos-Reid faces is dealing with people with no compassion
for others who need help. "Society has a limited interest in learning from
and giving emotional support to outsiders. The old, the young... the weird
and the wild could be so much more -- and society would be a much more interesting
place if the voices and dances of those people were treasured," he explains.
"Some people who are very hurt and confused sometimes end up feeling respected
and invited back into the community through dance therapy," he says.
Another great part about dance therapy is seeing results happen before
your eyes. According to Monique Haziza, a movement therapist, that's what
motivates her to keep plugging away at her work.
"It's all about making people happier, healthier and watching them grow
into the people that they always wanted to be, but couldn't be, until movement
helped them break through. And how they feel affects the other people around
them. It makes them healthier and happier, too."
Haziza has a warning for those thinking of movement therapy as a future
career. "One thing I worry about in this profession is people taking it on
for the wrong reasons, having the wrong motivation," she says. "You have to
really have compassion to want to help people, and unless you really feel
strongly about making a difference in someone's life -- don't bother!"
But she also says if you do decide to pursue the career, give yourself
credit where credit is due.
"Don't ever sell yourself short. What you are doing is a valuable service
to people and to mankind. You are changing lives. It might not feel like you
are making a difference when you first start out, but when you start to see
lives being changed, bodies finally being used as they were made to, it will
be the most rewarding thing you will experience and it will motivate you to
do more."
"The work is so fulfilling," agrees Susan Loman. She's been a dance therapist
for decades and now teaches others her craft. "We are changing
the world person by person, and sometimes in groups and in communities. We
help people of all ages feel in touch with their whole selves, body, mind
and spirit," she says.
"Nowadays, many people lose touch with how the body can be expressive and
help release feelings or tension. We work with the healthy parts of people
and often impart a sense of fun and joy into their lives, whether it be a
few moments of fun or lasting long term. It's very satisfying."
Dance is a universal language, says Loman, who runs workshops in other
countries. "I have gone to Germany, Italy, England, the Netherlands, Argentina
and given dance and therapy training there. For me, the exciting part is that
dance transcends cultural boundaries."
In a world where there are thousands of promises of healing, dance therapist
Denny Balish-LaSaine sums up why he believes dance therapy works. "Unlike
traditional psychotherapy, which is primarily verbal and mental, dance therapy
is holistic, connecting mind and body through verbal and non-verbal expression,"
he explains. "The dance therapist meets people where they are, and helps them
grow and heal in any area of need.
"Engaging with people in this manner facilitates a unifying experience,"
says Balish-LaSaine. "[It's] bringing together the experience of the mind,
body and spirit within a social and supportive context."