Beyond words: dance and movement sessions with young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties in Estonia

This article details an experimental project in Estonian schools, using therapeutic dance and movement as a basis to explore beyond the boundaries of language in supporting young people to develop their creative expression. The author visited three residential schools in different areas of Estonia in September 2006 to lead sessions with groups of young people who had a range of social, emotional and behavioural problems. This personal account details the aims of the project, the sessions and the experiences of those involved. It asks: can dance and movement offer a creative and dynamic form for expression, beyond the boundaries of culture and language, for those troubled and damaged young people who often struggle to communicate and express with words?