The Potential of Dance Art in Recovery From a Stroke: A Case Study

Abstract This article presents a case study on the subjective experience of recovering from a stroke. The aim was to seek personal meanings attached to the process of a solo choreography and its relationship with the subjective reconstruction of the body. The qualitative research used a stimulated recall method alongside a series of in-depth interviews. According to the findings, the ‘re-inhabiting’ of the body was enabled through body awareness and improvisation with regard to the choreographic process. The physical impairment caused by a stroke shifted towards the experience of being able-bodied while dancing, thus allowing the entire body and its current possibilities to be explored. Themes such as active agency and self-efficacy also emerged. The case study suggests that dancing not only acts as an enjoyable social and physical activity but also contributes to feelings of wholeness. Connectedness with wholeness enabled reconstructed self-trust and agency.