Writing by Lisa Sandlos (Abstracts)

For more information on the completed papers, please email Lisa directly: lisas ("at" symbol) yorku (dot) ca.

Examining The Biological Basis for Creative Arts Therapies (Abstract)

Once regarded as merely fringe activities for patients, creative arts are now being recognized as potent tools in the treatment of cancer, auto-immune disorders, heart disease, and post-traumatic conditions. Furthermore, the medical community is beginning to give weight to the benefits of dance, drama, music, and visual art for the promotion of wellness and the prevention of disease. This is largely due to research in the field of neuroscience which links the brain to human emotion, stress, and social factors.

My background as a dancer and dance teacher has illustrated to me the ways in which art can influence health. I have experienced these benefits myself and heard the positive testimonials of my students. This paper investigates recent medical and scientific advances that link the body to the brain, thereby offering a biological basis for the success of creative arts therapies. Through my research, I hope to contribute to a dialogue between arts therapists and medical professionals in hospitals and clinics.

Rudolph Laban's Female Associates: Three of the Women Behind The Genius (Abstract)

Rudolph Laban (1879-1958), a brilliant man of his time, made a forceful and lasting impact on the world of movement studies, dance, physical education, dramatic arts, physiotherapy, personality assessment, and dance/movement therapy. But without the ardent support and unique skills of his (mostly female) colleagues and students, it is unlikely that his work could have endured the test of time. Laban himself realized the importance of those women who supported and developed his work. Nevertheless, credit for their efforts and accomplishments has not been adequately recorded in the history books where many of them are depicted as mere shadows of Laban himself.

This paper attempts to fill a small part of this historical void by highlighting three of the most important supporters of Laban during his latter years in England: Lisa Ullmann, Marion North, and Valerie Preston-Dunlop. Each of them fought for the recognition of Laban's work, developed his work further after his death in 1958, and established institutions that would keep it alive. The writings of these women have become cornerstones in the literature of movement studies, and their teaching has inspired hundreds of individuals. Fortunately, there is no lack of material on Laban himself. But rather than providing yet another chronicle of Laban's life and times, this paper puts the spotlight on three women whose contributions to the field of movement studies may have been overshadowed in the past.

Dance Ugly and Drool: Consumerism and Communitas in Urban Ecstatic Dance (Abstract)

Ecstatic dance has been practised by many cultures throughout history, but it has emerged in North America only in the past few decades. My ethnological investigation revealed that, in attempting to leave behind a fast-paced, goal-oriented, consumerist society, participants of "the sweats" value a more inclusive experience, one of being in the moment. Ecstatic dance gives people permission to dance their own dance in their own way. Why not "Dance Ugly and Drool" alone? Ecstatic dance provides that sense of community some people are missing. However, even here, in an atmosphere of acceptance and inclusivity, consumerism is pervasive.

Lisa Sandlos Dance (416) 899 6525

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