Judith S. Kestenberg’s Dance/Movement Therapy Legacy: Approaches with Pregnancy, Young Children, and Caregivers

Abstract

This article will present several dance/movement therapy (DMT) applications of the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP), designed by Judith Kestenberg and colleagues. Starting with pregnancy and the Prenatal Project, and following children through age six with their caregivers, the article describes the author’s early DMT work at Judith Kestenberg’s Center for Parents and Children, and continues to the present. Kestenberg’s developmental phases from birth through age six are presented, along with issues concerning children and caregivers; also covered are examples of practical interventions. The KMP is used as a springboard for understanding the origins of aggression, along with theoretical underpinnings of Kestenberg’s research, and practical applications for both dance/movement therapists and caregivers.