ABSTRACT
This chapter covers the application of dance and drama as tools for personal and group expression. In the healthcare context, dance and drama are particularly effective within the realms of mental health and wellbeing and for working with people with learning disabilities. It is important to understand that both drama and dance perform two distinct functions: first, that of art forms in their own right, and second, as tools for therapeutic action. Jones suggests that drama therapy embodies the notion of play, both practically and conceptually, as a means of therapeutic intervention. As in drama therapy, dance therapy uses the whole body, including connection to the breath, using set exercises and physical play to improve conditions that affect co-ordination, balance and speech. The benefits of play in the development of the cognitive, social, and emotional skills of the child are products of an organic process.
