Dance as a solution to the workplace challenges of the new normal
‘Presenteeism’ describes the growing workplace epidemic of employees showing up but being unable to perform at their full capacity due to depression, pain and other mental health conditions.
A Green and Black study estimated that presenteeism is costing $21.2 billion in the U.K. compared to the $11.8 billion loss from absenteeism.
A meta-analysis performed by the American Dance Therapy Association identifies five outcomes of Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) to solve PRESENTEEISM. DMT is a therapeutic movement technique, based on the interconnection of the mind and the body coupled with the healing power of dance and can do wonders to employees and teams. Here is a glimpse of a DMT session conducted by The Opposable Thumb.
The outcome of the Meta-Analysis study can be synthesized into the following five clusters.
Quality of life : Movement fosters improved vitality and fitness; dance fosters joyful experiences; and interpersonal experiences might have a positive impact on social integration. Hence, DMT and dance interventions influence quality of life on various dimensions of subjective well being (satisfaction and life), and conditions of daily living (general health, functional capacity and social integration).
Clinical outcomes: DMT and dance interventions improve psychological functions of emotion regulation and mental health (depression, anxiety, stress, anger), which may be mediated, for example, by authentic jumping expressions, body–mind integration, and physiological changes.
Interpersonal skills : Interpersonal experiences through “mirroring” (matching/echoing the person's movements) fosters social interactions while working in a team elevating empathy, synchronization, communication, prosocial behaviour, self-other awareness, maintaining a relationship.
Cognitive skills : Cognitive skills relate to the set of mental abilities and processes that we need to carry out any task from the simplest to the most complex. Dance improves motor function by training muscular activity, balance, and flexibility. Furthermore, there is a training of cognitive skills associated with movement, for example, in executing imagined movements, following music, and observing bodily changes.
Residuals : Our residual category contained two types of outcomes: positive symptoms in schizophrenia(a void or lack of perception and expression compared to average, e.g., apathy, mood, and blunted affect) and physiological changes (e.g., blood pressure). While physiological changes can be successfully addressed by medication, DMT seems to be particularly useful for addressing schizophrenia through the state of mechanisms of body–mind integration to improve self-awareness.
Dance is an embodied activity and can have several specific and unspecific health benefits, when applied therapeutically. Using these techniques, The Opposable Thumb’s programmes aim to make presenteeism a thing of the past, developing employee focus, group cohesion and resolve while contributing to a positive company culture. To know more about the programs, kindly visit
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