COISO 2019

 

VIRUS TEAM

Jorge Luis Morejon was invited a second time to be one of the judges in the COISO 2019 Dance Competition at University of Miami. The competition took place on November 21, the day before Thanksgiving Recess. Next to him on this picture are the winners of the competition, the Virus Team, from the Asian Students Club.  The Competition was based this time on feelings. Every team was given a feeling to be developed through their dance. Several element of the dance pieces presented were evaluated; among them were: entrance, exit, audience response, choreography, costume, music, facial expression, use of the space, and creativity. The university is the arts hub of South Florida; just the day before, there were performing on campus the Frost Symphony at the Guzman Center; there was an opera at the Clark Theater; the Miami Motion Dance Team was dancing at the Shalala Student Center, and Kaos Hip Hop Team's Dance event organized an event that included the Miami Hurricanettes Dance Team and the Sensations and the Cheerleaders and Sensations Dance Team.

Faculty Spotlight: Jorge Luis Morejon

Link: Faculty Spotlight

On June 7th, Cristy Gonzalez, who manages the blog and social media presence for Undergraduate Admission at University of Miami, contacted Jorge Luis Morejon. She invited him to share with UM's prospective student population his story on education and teaching. Thus, Jorge was interviewed  by Faculty Spotlight via email. He responded a series of questions and send them to Faculty Spotlight from California where he was dancing.  After returning to Miami, he met Cristy and the photographer to get the photos done on July 8th at 10:30 a.m, at UM. The article came out on November 18th, 2019. The link above, shows the interview.

D10. Diversity in Creativity: The Impact of Dance/Movement Therapy on Self-Concept

Presentors:
Carol Kaminsky and Jorge Morejón
University of Miami 

Diversity in Creativity: The Impact of Dance/Movement Therapy on Self-Concept was a 75-minute presentation which included an overview of the pilot research project focusing on how creative techniques in dance/movement therapy influenced self-concept of college students in a dance improvisation class. 

Presenters described the dance/movement therapy interventions in the creative process as well as the results and analysis of the creativity scale and personality test used to collect data. 

Anecdotal data from student reflection was presented. Participants enjoyed a brief movement experiential that consisted of working with an improvisational technique which illustrated the process used with students. 

A 40-minute video documentary of the project was shown, and a question-and-answer session followed.
 

University of Miami's Faculty Showcase - 2019

The Faculty Showcase is the University of Miami’s premiere teaching and learning event that takes place annually. The gathering hosts round-tables where faculty share, network, and explore ways in which their colleagues are enriching student experiences. Innovative pedagogies and learning technologies are discussed with the goal of improving the educational experience for both students and faculty. Led by faculty for faculty, this one-day conference aims to also support faculty development and enhance student learning.  Faculty Showcase 2019 invited Jorge Luis Morejon and colleague Karol Kaminsky to presented on their research Diversity in Creativity: The Impact of Dance Movement Therapy on Self-Concept. During their presentation Morejon and Kaminsky described how dance/movement interventions were used during the creative process with students and well as the anlysis on the creativity scale and personality test used to collect data. The presented anecdotal data was received with enthusiasm by faculty members and administrative personnel interested in the research. The research was based on the application of improvisational dance technique and the use of glass pieces from the Lowe Art Museum's collection to create new dance. Inspired by the glass art pieces, students were able to measure their level of self-confidence before and after the project.

Miami's Dance Movement Therapy Conference - 2019

 Storm by J.L. Morejon

Jorge Luis Morejon attended a number of workshops offered at the conference:

Incorporating Evidence Based Practices into Dance/Movement Therapy with Eating Disorder PatientsSusan Kleinman, MA, BC-DMT, NCC, CEDS and Concetta Troskie, BC-DMT, RDT, LPC

This seminar presented dance/movement therapy (DMT) methods designed to focus on helping individuals with eating disorders reclaim their connection with their feelings, actions, thoughts, and a sense of “wholeness”.  A hallmark of individuals with eating disorders is their tendency to short circuit feelings and pressing thoughts and focus on body distortions, obsessive thoughts and concrete, black & white thinking. To avoid being “in their bodies”, many can be observed attempting to cope with rising anxiety by frantically pulling at silly putty or shaking their extremities at amazingly quick speeds (Kleinman, 2014). Helping these patients transform their habitual thoughts and behaviors into more productive ways to cope with overwhelming problems is integral to reclaiming connection to a fuller experience of living in their bodies. As one young woman explained,” It is much easier to focus on how many calories I have consumed in a day then it is to deal with day to day events such as arguments with my parents, getting good grades, or feeling accepted by others.” Patients who suffer from trauma, as well as those who become addicted to substances, frequently experience similar patterns in their quest to attempt to stay “safe” by detaching from their bodily felt experiences (Kleinman, 2018).

Dancing at the Crossroads of Body & Mind: Irish Dance as DMTCaitlin Kelly, R-DMT, LCAT-LP, TCRG.

This workshop was about the therapeutic use of circular formations in folkdance shows that expressive movement need not be abstract to read as authentic.  A highly structured dance form that nonetheless fits the modern dance-based mission of dance/movement therapy is Irish céilí dancing.  An accessible challenge of the body and mind, this collection of social dances featured grounded footwork, a repetitive figure structure, balanced bilateral and spatial patterns, and group cohesion through a unifying rhythm.  Originally performed in gatherings “at the crossroads” (Allen, 2003), Irish céilí dancing relates the history of a culture reclaimed through movement, open to all, that promotes socialization, a sense of community, and the experience of being seen.  Participants in this seminar will discuss the cultural strengths and limitations reflected in the unique movement vocabulary of Irish dance, explored its social and cognitive benefits as applicable to the practice of DMT, and learn the basic technical movement and body structure of Irish dancing in the context of two traditional céilí dances.

Exploring the Group Dance/Movement Therapist's Role through Visual Imagery by Donna Newman-Bluestein, Dance for Connection.

This workshop cited Irmgard Bartenieff’s quote, “Intent organizes the neuromuscular system.” Thus, it focused on the recognition of the visual images of what we perceive as our role as dance/movement therapists. This in turn helped us clarify what we believe and what we consciously choose to project in our sessions. Our images may remain constant or shift within a session or from session to session. Therefore, the point made was that, by using art materials one can help strengthen one’s visual imaginations. This clarity will ultimately help one become more effective clinicians.

Bicultural Identities and Construction of Selves: As Clinicians and ClientsAkiko “kiki” Nishida Yokokawa, LPCC, BC-DMT, GL-CMA

This workshop aimed to illuminate the complexity of bicultural identities specifically focusing on when a bicultural individual is faced with two different constructions of selves (cultural views): the independent and the interdependent (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). Psychological tendencies were also examined for both construct of selves. Participants were invited to question how this might affect their clinical approach when working with bicultural individuals. Acculturation process was explored as it plays a crucial role in how one chooses to identify with certain cultures. The presenter shared her own personal experience as a bicultural being (Japanese/American), her own thesis research related to this topic, and professional experience working with bicultural clients in order to enrich the discussion. Through movement exploration and dialogue, participants were able to gain bodily knowledge about how they relate to acculturation processes and bicultural identity.