Dance and movement are humanity’s first language — our natural language of expression, and a pathway to integrating the emotional, social, cognitive, and physical dimensions of who we are in the journey toward holistic well-being of BODY - MIND - SPIRIT.

ABOUT US

Vietnam Dance/Movement Therapy (VDMT) was founded in 2015 and officially became a Social Enterprise in 2024.

As a pioneer in advancing Dance/Movement Therapy in Vietnam, VDMT nurtures Body Wisdom to promote mental health, emotional well-being, and human connection in an ever-changing world.

What Makes VDMT Different

  • Pioneering the development of Dance/Movement Therapy in Vietnam.

  • International professional foundations grounded in the Vietnamese cultural context.

  • An interdisciplinary approach, integrating Dance/Movement Therapy with creative arts, improvisational music, and body-mind practices.

  • Practical experience across hospitals, schools, workplaces, and community development initiatives.

  • International collaboration with practitioners, universities, mental health organizations, and artists from around the world.

MISSION & COMMITMENT

VDMT was founded with a purpose: to nurture Body Wisdom through Dance/Movement Therapy, helping people in Vietnam become healthier, more connected, and better equipped to adapt in an ever-changing world.

We are committed to developing evidence-informed mental health and well-being solutions that are grounded in Vietnamese cultural identity, with the aim of reaching individuals, organizations, and communities and creating lasting impact.

Every VDMT initiative is guided by professional standards and ethical principles in the field of Dance/Movement Therapy, in alignment with the principles of the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA).

As a Social Enterprise, VDMT is committed to reinvesting at least 51% of its profits into community programs, expanding access to mental health and well-being through the arts.

Professional knowledge-sharing session with doctors and healthcare professionals at Hanoi Mental Health Hospital

VDMT’S PHILOSOPHY

Every person carries within them Body Wisdom — the innate capacity to sense, connect, create, adapt, and heal through the body itself.

In the age of AI, what makes us human is not the speed at which we think, but the depth of our presence. Body Wisdom is the foundation that helps us stay healthy, connected, and adaptable in an ever-changing world.

THE JOURNEY OF NURTURING BODY WISDOM

At Vietnam Dance/Movement Therapy (VDMT), we accompany you on a journey of discovering, nurturing, and embodying Body Wisdom through four interconnected steps:

    • Recognize bodily sensations, movement patterns, and emotional states.

    • Develop greater presence and self-awareness.

    • Use movement as a language of expression.

    • Unlock emotions, lived experiences, and authentic creativity.

    • Nurture Kinesthetic Empathy.

    • Deepen connection with yourself, others, and the wider community.

    • Transform embodied experiences into inner resources.

    • Strengthen the capacity to regulate, adapt, and cultivate a more holistic quality of life.

OUR AREAS OF WORK

  • Supporting individuals on their journey of healing, connection, and holistic growth of body, mind, and spirit.

    • Dance/Movement Therapy for individuals, couples, and groups.

    • Support for emotional regulation, stress reduction, trauma recovery, and overall mental well-being.

    • Developing self-awareness and self-regulation while nurturing Body Wisdom.

    • Integrating Dance/Movement Therapy with a range of Expressive Arts approaches.

    • Programs designed for children, women, adults, older adults, and people with specific needs.

  • Expanding the understanding of Body Wisdom as a foundation for mental well-being and thriving communities.

    • Courses and experiential programs in Dance/Movement Therapy and Body Wisdom.

    • Training for teachers, mental health professionals, healthcare workers, social workers, and educators.

    • Trauma-informed, resilience-building, and mental well-being programs.

    • Community initiatives that foster connection, inclusion, and sustainable social impact.

  • Supporting sustainable organizational growth by starting with the mental well-being and human connection of the people within it.

    • Programs to promote mental well-being and prevent burnout.

    • Body Wisdom training for leadership, non-verbal communication, and decision-making.

    • Workshops that cultivate empathy, strengthen team connection, and foster a positive organizational culture.

    • Solutions that help individuals and organizations build adaptability, creativity, and collaboration in an era of digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI).

THE PEOPLE BEHIND VDMT

After returning to Vietnam from my Master’s degree in Dance/Movement Therapy at Sarah Lawrence College in New York, I brought home a field that was still very new, along with a question that stayed with me: How could Dance/Movement Therapy truly take root in Vietnam, reflect our cultural identity, and respond meaningfully to the needs of Vietnamese people?

I came to realize that part of the answer already existed within our own culture.

From the dancing figures depicted on Dong Son bronze drums, to dance and spiritual life in the Mother Goddess worship tradition, to the communal dance circles found in festivals across Vietnam’s many ethnic communities, dance has long been a way for people to express themselves, connect with one another, and move through the joys and sorrows of life together. Dance, spirituality, and healing were once naturally intertwined.

I did not bring dance back to Vietnam. Dance was already here.

VDMT began from this realization. We invite people to return to the natural essence of dance — not as technique or performance, but first and foremost as a human need for expression, creativity, and connection. What began as a project to make dance accessible to everyone evolved into dance for health, and eventually into the deeper practice of Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT).

For DMT, with its roots in Western scientific knowledge, to grow meaningfully and harmoniously in Vietnam, we believe we must begin with Vietnamese people themselves. Each Vietnamese body carries traces of history, family, and community — experiences that continue to quietly shape the ways we live, feel, and connect.

This is what VDMT seeks to build: an approach to mental health and well-being that begins with the body and places the body at its core; one that is grounded in professional knowledge and scientific understanding, while never separating people from their culture and communities.

We envision Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT) becoming a recognized and growing professional field within healthcare, education, and human development in Vietnam — sustained by generations of Vietnamese practitioners who are rigorously and professionally trained.

In an increasingly digital world, VDMT chooses to nurture Body Wisdom — our innate capacity to sense, be present, adapt, and grow — toward a Vietnam that is healthier in body, mind, and spirit.

Bui Tuyet Minh | FOUNDER

AWARDS & PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION

    • Ember Mental Health Foundation, London, UK (October)

    • Internal Panel ADTA conference - California, USA (November)

  • An international recognition celebrating innovative initiatives at the intersection of mental health and the arts.

  • "Asian Diversity: COVID-19, Bias, and the Dance/Movement Therapy Practice of Asian and Asian American People" - ADTA Online Conference

  • Internal Panel ADTA conference -Washington D.C, USA

  • Reflections on Death, Dying & Dementia: Applications of Dance/Movement Therapy and Body-Mind Eastern Practices.

THE PEOPLE BEHIND VDMT

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS

Cathy Appel MSW, MS, MFA

E. Connor Kelly MA, BC-DMT, LPC, DTAA (Prof DMT)

  • Former President, Asia-Pacific Dance/Movement Therapy Association

  • Faculty Member, University of Auckland, New Zealand

  • Senior Practitioner, Authentic Movement Australasia

  • Chair, Mettler Studios

  • PhD in Dance/Movement, University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA (1988)

  • Editor of "Barbara Mettler Teaching Dance"

  • Author of "Foundations of Barbara Mettler's Approach to Dance: Principles and Teaching Guidelines" (2021)

Mary Ann Brehm, PhD

THE PEOPLE BEHIND VDMT

FACULTY & COLLABORATORS

  • Master’s Degree in Dance/Movement Therapy, Sarah Lawrence College, New York

  • Member of the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA)

  • 20+ years of experience in education and human development, including 10 years specializing in Dance/Movement Therapy

Bui Tuyet Minh

  • PhD Candidate in Psychology, University of Auckland

  • Master of Science in Psychology (First Class Honours), University of Auckland

  • 20+ years of experience in contemporary art, performance, and Dance/Movement Therapy

  • Professional member, Dance Therapy Association of Australasia (DTAA)

Tran Huynh Trieu An

  • Master of Music, Multi-Style String Instrument Performance, New Jersey City University

  • 15+ years of experience in music performance, composition, and international arts education

  • Author of three books: Advanced String Jams, Beginner String Jams, and Cello Chords

Bryan Charles Wilson

THE PEOPLE BEHIND VDMT

OPERATIONS ADVISORS

Linh Nguyen

Head of HR and Operations, Board of Members

  • Master of International Business, La Trobe University

  • 10+ years of experience in HR and Operations

Huyen Tran

Finance Advisor

  • Bachelor of Finance, University of Commerce (Thương Mại University)

  • 20+ years of experience in accounting and finance

Kent Dao

Strategic Relations Advisor

  • Master of Accounting & Financial Management, La Trobe University

  • Former Head of Operations, Vietnam Business Coalition for Women's Empowerment

  • 5+ years of experience in social projects and sustainable development programs

OUR PARTNER NETWORK

VDMT deeply values the support and collaboration of our network of professionals, hospitals, schools, social organizations, businesses, and cultural and arts organizations in Vietnam and around the world.

  • INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & BUSINESSES

    World Bank Vietnam · World Vision · Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment (iSEE) · Brooklyn Academy of Music (USA) · Global Classroom New York · Center for Modern Dance Education (USA) · UNESCO USA · Woman Foundation (USA) · U.S. Embassy in Vietnam · Goethe-Institut · Carlsberg Vietnam · Room to Read Vietnam · Hagar Vietnam · VTV3 · VTV4 · HTV · Vietnam News · BBC Vietnam · Tuổi Trẻ Newspaper · Phụ Nữ Newspaper · and more.

    HEALTHCARE ORGANIZATIONS & HOSPITALS

    Hanoi Mental Health Hospital · Vinmec Hanoi · Hung Viet Oncology Hospital · Children’s Hospital 2 and Children’s Hospital of Ho Chi Minh City · Psychub Saigon · and more.

    EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS & SCHOOLS

    Hanoi University of Civil Engineering · British University Vietnam (BUV) · RMIT University Vietnam · Hoa Sen University · Thang Long University · Phenikaa University · University of Economics and Finance (UEF) · University of Social Sciences and Humanities · Hanoi Star School · Olympia Schools · Luong Van Can Scholarship Foundation · Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation · Child Care Vietnam · Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union · and more.