Unsere Tänze Unser Tanz
"Our Dances, Our Dance"
Unsere Tänze, Unser Tanz is an established social change project based in Germany and growing through international connections, supported by Asylarbeitskreis Heidelberg e.V., Luca e.V., and in collaboration with BASF Ludwigshafen, EinTanzHaus Mannheim, Interaction Studio Heidelberg, the Amt für Soziales und Senioren, and Stadt Heidelberg.
Why Circle Dance for Community as a Practice?
The preferred dance form is circle or chain dance, a social dance performed in a circle, half-circle, or curved line to live music, percussion, or singing. Each participant can join independently, without a partner. Circle dance strengthens balance, coordination, flexibility, rhythm, and self-acceptance, creating a safe space for personal expression.
Our approaches
Our interventions are grounded in Dance and Movement Therapy (DMT), defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) as the psychotherapeutic use of movement to enhance emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration, ultimately promoting health and well-being. This therapeutic approach guides our work and informs our goals.
A culturally sensitive therapeutic approach...
Our sessions begin with a conversation circle, where participants come together to introduce themselves in a supportive and equal environment. Following this, we form a circle and repeat each other’s names while mirroring movements. This initial phase serves as a movement ritual and provides participants with the opportunity to introduce themselves without the need to describe who they are, where they come from, or to speak in a language that may be unfamiliar or intimidating.
In the second phase, participants are invited to share a dance from their own culture or another culture as a way to surprise and engage the group. If no participant is willing or ready, the facilitator introduces various circle dances for warm-up and engagement.
During the learning or movement session, we often observe that participants’ body memories are activated, which later inspires them to introduce music or dances themselves. To conclude each session, we provide a space for reflection and exchange, where participants can share memories, personal experiences, and current practices.