Embodying care: Trauma-informed practice in community dance

Abstract

As part of the ATTUNE project, this article critically appraises the strengths of community dance as a trauma-informed practice and examines areas for development in relation to guidelines on trauma-informed care. In the context of exacerbated mental health problems amongst young people in the United Kingdom, meeting the diverse needs of people who attend community dance spaces requires robust and empathetic enquiry across sectors. This article presents a critique of regularly cited literature from the distinct disciplines of dance and psychology and focuses specifically on the merits of relational approaches within community dance.