„Wär’ schön, wenn sie’s schaffen würde!“

This article is based on the KMP (Kestenberg Movement Profile) for assessment of child development and movement behavior. I investigate characteristic movement patterns in a videotaped child psychoanalytic session. How do therapist and child move together? Since the KMP is commonly applied in dance therapy to evaluate movement skills and give support to development process, I will propose some suggestions for alternative modes of moving and encourage the building up of a new dialogue through action modification.

Methods of Promoting Gender Development in Young Children Through Developmental Dance Rhythms

Lines of development can be traced back to the very young child. A sequence of motor development was outlined by Judith Kestenberg, the originator of the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP), which was based on clinical observations of children from birth through six years old. Two stages—the ‘inner-genital phase’ in the 3–4-year-olds, and the ‘outer-genital phase’ common amongst 4–6-year-olds—offer valuable insights about gender and sexual development in both boys and girls. A dance/movement therapist who understands the predictable phases associated with children’s movement, as well as gender development, will be able to promote wellbeing when working with both typically and atypically developing children. The use of developmentally supported rhythms are introduced as a vehicle through which dance/movement therapists and caregivers can attune with young children through dance, thus enhancing wellness.