Date of Award
Spring 5-17-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Expressive Therapies
Major
Expressive Therapies
First Advisor
Meg Chang
Abstract
This Capstone Thesis literature review explores movement in Jewish prayer within the context of the Kestenberg Movement Profile. Jewish prayer, specifically the amidah, features swaying movements called shokeling that serve as an embodied component of conversation with God. Prayer movements and postures enhance the prayer experience, as described in Hasidic thought.The Kestenberg Movement Profile is a form of movement analysis that observes how movements can indicate a sense of connection and serve as an expression of needs.These observations suggest that using Authentic Movement in a Dance/Movement Therapy session may increase clients’ awareness of a their sense of attachment toward God and people around them.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Janssen, Lizzie, "Dancing With God: Jewish Prayer Through the Lens of Dance/Movement Therapy" (2025). Expressive Therapies Theses. 73.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_therapies_theses/73
