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Deadline for submissions is 31.03.2025

General assembly of the BTD 2025

Schuhplattel dances, yodelling training, cowbell ringing and Bavarian braided dance - the almost 100 participants at this year's general assembly of the „Berufsverband der TanztherapeutInnen Deutschlands e.V. (BTD)“ will probably remember this for a long time. The 30th members' meeting took place in Freising, Upper Bavaria, north of Munich. The slogan was excellence and innovation, as the BTD is known for its excellent qualification standards and innovative structures of the association. And it has been doing so for 3 decades. 

To mark its 30th anniversary, the BTD celebrated with festive thank-you videos, a delicious cake and a dance party. In their speech, Amanda Freiberg, 1st Chairwoman, and Martina Maria Meshesha, 2nd Chairwoman, recalled the birth of the association, the first general meeting in 1995. Some of those members, present at the time, were also present again and gave first-hand stories. Important steps in the development of the BTD's and key milestones were emphasised. The two chairmen thanked the many volunteers who have been actively involved over the decades and have contributed to making the BTD what it is today: a growing, highly professional association that passed the 600 member mark for the first time in 2024.

It has always been important for the BTD to look beyond its own horizons, not only to facilitate networking among dance therapists, but also to promote dialogue with other professional groups. For example, the BTD is a member of the Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Künstlerische Therapien (BAG KT), whose first chairwoman, Beatrix Evers-Grewe, gave an enriching presentation to kick things off. She explained the importance of synergies between the various artistic therapies in dialogue with politicians. She also addressed professional opportunities and challenges in the current health policy debate. The BTD is also the largest member of the European Association of Dance Movement Therapy (EADMT) and is therefore active on an international level.

The Executive Board and all committees presented their work reports for 2024. It became clear how much work needs to be done to keep the association running and how much commitment there is among the members. The main tasks in the new year will be member acquisition and focussing on the needs of student members. In three different workshops, attendees had the opportunity to try out stick fighting, experience intersectional empowerment and combine breathing with movement. The participants were visibly moved by the discussion about the impact of political uncertainties on the dance therapy profession in general and on therapy in particular. It became clear how important it is for therapists to have a sense of common ground in addition to professional dialogue. Many participants took this shared support and the strength inherent in it home with them. See you next time. The next general assembly will take place on 7/8 February 2026 in Berlin. Interested parties are very welcome!

Translated with DeepL.com (free version) and worked over by A.F.

Report from the General Meeting 2024

The 29th general meeting of the Professional Association of Dance Therapists in Germany (BTD) took place from 23 to 25 February 2024 in Bad Honnef in cooperation with the ITAM (Institute for Depth Psychological Dance Therapy and Expressive Therapy) and the regional group active there. Around 70 participants from all over Germany met in person and a further 20 people were connected online. Beforehand, there had been the opportunity to take part in online discussion groups on the topics of diversity in the BTD, dance therapy in medical guidelines and working with patients in neurology.

The regional group offered a warmly designed programme and supported the theme of the general meeting: Preserving and moving. In life, we are constantly faced with the question of whether to preserve the established or to move forward, to keep the familiar or to venture into the unknown. We are confronted with these polarities not only on an individual and personal level, but also on a socio-political level. The professional association is also concerned with the question of which established structures should be continued and where new structures are useful and important. These topics were the subject of lively discussion at a World Café, where suggestions were made regarding the positioning of students in the association, networking between members, public relations work, generational change and funding.

The wide range of workshops on offer was well attended: body image work with young people; bringing diversity to life; symbolism and the use of the ancient deity in dance therapy as well as button dances - based on Mr. Winnicott.

14th Symposium for Artistic Therapies 2023

Dance Therapy Research Day 2023 in Hamburg

on May 13th 2023 at the MSH, Medical School Hamburg

The Dance Therapy Research Day 2023 will take place in Hamburg. For more information and to register, please look here: www.gtf-tanzforschung.de/home/. You can download the program here: Program-Research Day.

Dance Therapy Research Day 2023: Past - Present - Future

Current research perspectives on dance therapy in German-speaking countries.

In light of serious societal changes that have taken place since the last Dance Therapy Research Day in 2019, we cast our eyes on the past, present and future of dance therapy with the Dance Therapy Research Day 2023.

From a variety of perspectives we examine body concepts and their significance for dance and therapy and we search for ways of transformation that open up healing spaces of a simultaneity of what separates and what connects: What historical self-understanding is there to question in dance therapy? On which social positioning is our dance therapy practice based? Which interdisciplinary impulses set dance therapy in motion and direct it towards the future?

We are looking forward to movements of search, critical self-reflections and lively debates!

Your BTD Research Committee