Dance therapist

About this occupation

Dance therapists support individuals with their emotional, mental or physical health problems helping them to improve their body awareness, self-esteem, social integration and personal development through dance and movement patterns within a therapeutic environment.

A specialisation of recreational therapist.

• Test and evaluate patients' physical and mental abilities and analyze medical data to determine realistic rehabilitation goals for patients.
• Complete and maintain necessary records.
• Plan, organize, and conduct occupational therapy programs in hospital, institutional, or community settings to help rehabilitate persons with disabilities because of illness, injury or psychological or developmental problems.
• Plan and implement programs and social activities to help patients learn work or school skills and adjust to handicaps.
• Select activities that will help individuals learn work and life-management skills within limits of their mental or physical capabilities.
• Evaluate patients' progress and prepare reports that detail progress.

Typical education (US)

Master's Degree

Preparation

Job Zone 5 of 5

Interests

Social, Investigative, Realistic

Top skills: Active Listening, Monitoring, Service Orientation, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking

US median pay: US$100,330 a year (2025), 162,450 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyExtremely important (4.5)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.1)
• BiologyO*NET: BiologyImportant (3.5)
• SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyImportant (3.2)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Master's Degree

Education

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Experience

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Training

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.