A Feminist Interdisciplinary Investigation into the Efficacy of the Moving Pieces Collective Approach to Managing Medically Unexplained Symptoms
This is an interdisciplinary arts-science research project conducted from a feminist embodied perspective (Allegranti 2019, 2013; 2011). The research is commissioned by Moving Pieces Collective and conducted by myself, a research student of the dance and psychology department at the University of Roehampton since 2019. Moving Pieces Collective is an art in health theatre organization founded and directed by Charlie Blowers, an experienced art psychotherapist, clinical supervisor, Feldenkrais practitioner, and artist. The company approach is to better understand the diverse experiences of those living with medically unexplained symptoms by embracing the relationship between the arts and sciences. This research project will investigate the efficacy of the Moving Pieces Collective approach and argues that the Moving Pieces Collective integrative method aims to support people living with medically unexplained symptoms by developing their awareness and skills of self-regulation and thus improve quality of life. Please visit for more information the following link: http://www.movingpieces.co.uk/research
References:
Allegranti, B (2019) Moving Kinship: Between Choreography, Performance and the More-than Human In Thomas, H. and S. Prickett (ed.) The Routledge Companion to Dance Studies 1st Edition. [Kindle Edition] New York: Routledge
Allegranti, B (2013). The politics of becoming bodies: Sex, gender, and intersubjectivity in motion. The Arts in Psychotherapy. 40 pp 394 – 403
Allegranti, B (2011) Embodied Performances: Sexuality, Gender, Bodies. [Kindle Edition] Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillian.
Dance Movement Psychotherapy in a second language:
An embodied phenomenological investigation
In 2015 my postgraduate dissertation was a phenomenological investigation aimed to explore how dance movement psychotherapists experience using English as a second language in the therapeutic space. My interest in this research topic emerged from my autobiographical experience, from my experience of noticing the difference in myself and in my body using English as my second language and using Hungarian as my
native language. Drawing from the phenomenological stance I conducted semi-structured interviews and asked for embodied movement responses of four dance movement psychotherapists, who trained and facilitated dance movement psychotherapy in English as their second language. Through the emerged themes
I believe that this phenomenon is relevant to dance movement psychotherapists and important to draw attention to the lived experience of using a second language in therapeutic space. In addition dance movement psychotherapy, as an approach
can facilitate finding a way to meet the different languages and the different language-related experiences.
Body-image Examination Program- A new diagnostic tool
Between 2006 and 2008 with my peer and friend, Katalin Lantos we created and conducted research with a new diagnostic tool to measure body-image, which contained all those aspects that were missing in other body image diagnostic tools. Our research was to compare the Body-image Examination Program developed by us with Fallon-Rozin Test. The Body-image Examination Program is a computerized instrument that helps in recognizing body-image disorders. The basis of this is the Fallon-Rozin Test with the main difference that while in the Fallon-Rozin Test subjects can choose from whole figures, in the Body-image Examination Program they can choose and assemble the appropriate figure from different parts of the body. We presented our research and gained the 1st price at several student conferences. However, we could not develop further our Program due to a lack of financial funding.
Publications:
Katalin Lantos, Eszter Ivan, Bea Pászthy dr: The body image and its measurements. In: Ferenc Tury, Bea Paszthy (editors) (2008): Eating and body image disorders. Pro Die , Budapest
Eszter Ivan, Katalin Lantos: „The Body Image Program” in D., Nemeth, A., Krajcsi, A. Szokolszky (editors): Essays of Psychology in Szeged – 2006. JGYTFK KIADO, SZEGED, 2007