There are benefits in dance therapy for just about anyone. It helps the average, healthy individual stay in good physical shape and enjoy the pleasure of creating rhythmic motions with their bodies. Dance therapy has helped many groups, including psychiatric patients, children with learning disabilities, the elderly, deaf people, the mentally handicapped and people confined to assisted care facilities and nursing homes. It has been used successfully with blind and visually impaired persons. It helps overcome physical limitations among the elderly and creates new opportunities for healthful exercise and rehabilitation.
Dance therapy can improve the coordination of little-used muscles.
For older people, dance therapy can help them depend less on others and increase their self-esteem. These benefits, in turn, reduces stress. Because dance therapy can be individualized, it readily becomes an outlet for expressing anger, love, and fear. These are qualities that can be helpful in facing, treating, and coping with disease, disability, and other health problems. Because dance requires interaction with others, it reduces feelings of isolation and promotes growth in social skills and relationships.