Ilse van Haastrecht about the intro days

From 16 to 20 October 2023, the Dance Movement Therapy introductory week took place at Codarts, a course for people interested in the profession of dance movement therapy and our Dance Movement Therapy Master's programme.

During this Introduction Week, we spoke to Ilse van Haastrecht, dance and movement therapist and dance teacher. In 2009 she graduated from the Bachelor of Dance at Codarts and in 2021 she graduated here again, but this time at the Master of Dance Movement Therapy. Meanwhile, she has been working as a dance and movement therapist for two years. She is founder of the platform Impro Dance The Hague. Occasionally she can be found at Codarts, for example as a teacher during the introduction weeks for the Dance Movement Therapy programme.

During the introduction week, she gave the workshop ‘Understanding one's own dance’, which focuses on the creative and transformative aspect of dance. Participants are challenged in various exercises to link personal themes to experiences in their dance and movement at that moment. She was also present on the final day as an alumnus to answer questions about the Dance Movement Therapy programme at Codarts.

Ilse about the Introduction Week: "What I love about the Introduction Weeks is that the participants really undergo a 'tasting' of different approaches and practices within dance movement therapy programme. For me as a teacher, it is inspiring to be able to teach people from all kinds of backgrounds, countries and ages. I am inspired by all the curious and intelligent questions that came up during class."