The master's thesis explores the intersection of the artistic-creative process and arts-based approaches to support and healing, through a case study of the dance-theatre performance Some Night, Some Girls Are Dying Somewhere (2020). Due to the sensitivity of the theme and the highly challenging poetic text addressing trauma, as well as the age of the participants, elements of an arts therapy process were employed, with a strong emphasis on creating a safe space for expression.
The process involved young dancers aged 14 to 16 who, through the use of arts therapy approaches such as dance movement therapy (including dance improvisation, creative movement, kinesthetic empathy, authentic movement expression, and choreotherapeutic models) and drama therapy (using the performative AV model), co-created a performance based on poetry centered on the theme of trauma.
We aimed to explore how the participants girls, aged 14 to 16, responded to the artistic creative process through creative movement, despite not having personal experiences of trauma. What did artistic creation mean to them? How did they experience isolation (physical and social distancing, negative emotions, fears, increased anxiety) during the COVID-19 pandemic in Slovenia, and what is the impact of this experience three years later?
The qualitative study, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the three years following the performance, initially shows positive effects of the creative process on the participants: reduced anxiety, strengthened sense of connection, and opportunities for self-expression. The second part of the research (2023) highlights its long-term contribution, manifested in increased self-confidence, ability to set personal boundaries, enhanced awareness and internalization of emotions, new insights, and the acquisition of tools for both artistic and personal growth, including self-awareness and transformation.
The study emphasizes the importance of intertwining the artistic-creative process with arts therapy, particularly when working with young people on topics that require sensitive handling.
A significant contribution also lies in the role of the arts therapist. The professional collaborators, who were artists with experience in both the artistic domain and in arts-based therapeutic work, played a key role in the process. Equally important were the participants themselves, along with their previous creative experiences and their artistic potential.
|
