The Hanny Exiner Foundation

Formation and Purposes of the Foundation

Johanna (Hanny) Exiner was one of the great influences in the development of dance-movement therapy in Australia. Many of those work in the field in Australia learnt from Hanny not only many valuable skills and insights about dance as therapy but also, most essentially, about the nature of dance itself. In 1997, when she opened the Dance Therapy Conference, she spoke of her implicit beliefs in the aesthetic experience of dance itself as a powerful and healing tool.

The Hanny Exiner Fund was established in 2001. Its existence is due to the vision of Hanny's late husband, Bob, and the generosity and interest of their sons, Ron and Jess Exiner. The Fund is now a Foundation whose major purpose is to provide financial assistance for people undertaking research in the field of Dance-Movement Therapy. It also aims to encourage a broader range of research and to increase understanding of Dance-Movement Therapy methodology and its effects.

Trustee – Dance-Movement Therapy Association of Australia (DTAA)

 

Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation Annual Achievement Award

The Hanny Exiner Foundation presents this annual award to recognise a new, significant piece of writing or other contribution that advances the field of dance-movement therapy. Any original piece of writing on any aspect of Australian dance-movement therapy, published in the DTAA Quarterly during the twelve months prior to the DTAA's Annual General Meeting is eligible for consideration for the prize. On some occasions, the award may be given for another special contribution to the field that has been reported under the 'Australian Moves' section of the DTAA Quarterly. The Award will be decided on the basis of an annual review, by the HEMF Committee, of the DTAA Quarterly. Decisions will be based on criteria that include excellence in writing and reflective reporting, advances in understanding of and approaches to dance-movement therapy theory and practice, and imaginative experimentation in ideas and practice.

The award, which comprises a gift and citation is presented at the Dance-Movement Therapy Association of Australia's Annual General Meeting in November each year. Recipients will be entitled to add 'Winner of the Hanny Exiner Foundation Achievement Award' to their Curriculum Vitae.

Award 2007

In 2007 HEMF was delighted to be co-presenters with the DTAA for the 'Weaving the Threads' dance-movement therapy conference at the Old Convent, Abbotsford, Melbourne, in November. During the conference, the 2007 Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation Achievement Award was made to Sandra Kay Lauffenburger. The citation included the following statements:

"This award is made in particular to honour your efforts which have led to the establishment of the Certificate Program in Laban Movement Analysis and Bartenieff Fundamentals (LMA/BF) to be run in Australia, commencing in April next year as well as being the coordinator and co-director of the program. We would also like to acknowledge your contributions to the field of dance therapy through your ongoing experiential and academic education of students and practitioners, as demonstrated by the workshop The Dynamic Architecture of Communication; Moving, Feeling, and Observing: Space - Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) presented by you in Melbourne last year – just one of the many workshops you have offered on LMA and Bartenieff Fundamentals over the years.

Your own continuing research, leading to developments in your understanding and utilisation of therapeutic theories and methods, was demonstrated by the paper Self-Psycholgy of Heinz Kohut as a Psychodynamic Framework for Dance/Movement Therapy published earlier this year. We also appreciate your ongoing contributions to Moving On, helping the Dance-Movement Therapy community to stay in touch with developments in Sydney and Canberra, such as the information about the Self Psychology book collection being available at the ANU’s Hancock Library and keeping them informed about self psychology courses."

Award 2006 Michelle Royal

Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation Annual Achievement Award
Winner - November 2006: Michelle Royal was honoured for her efforts, through her writing in DTAA Quarterly, to awaken, or remind, the dance-movement therapy community about the fact that our profession is not properly recognized by many institutions, organizations and others with the ability to affect public opinion about the validity of particular modes of therapy.

Inaugural award 2005 Dr Heather Hill

Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation Annual Achievement Award
Inaugural winner - November 2005 Dr. Heather Hill was acknowledged for activities including reports about her work in, as well as her direct contributions to, the four issues of ‘Moving On’, gaining her doctorate – Talking the talk but not walking the walk: barriers to person-centred care in dementia, the enthusiasm and professionalism with which she conducted workshops, spoke at conferences and published papers, including the 8th National Residential Aged Care Facility Conference for Leisure, Recreation and Lifestyle staff, later published in ‘Moving On’ and contribution to the ongoing discussions about the nature of dance on the ADTA's listserve and workshop on Person-Centred Care in Dementia for the DTAA A.G.M. professional development day.

 

Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation Research Grants

The Foundation’s funds are invested so that from time to time it is able to offer small grants for research in dance movement therapy. Grants will be made for research, or discrete projects that contribute towards research, that are assessed to advance the field of Dance-Movement Therapy and the quality of its practice in some way. Small projects that can contribute to future larger studies would also be considered relevant for consideration. The findings of research projects funded by HEMF will be reported in ‘Moving On’, the DTAA Quarterly journal and on this website. .

Recipients 2007

Two grants were made in 2007. The first study was conducted by Kim Dunphy with Tessa Hearnes and Professor John Toumbourou - a survey of dance-movement therapy, which documented and mapped, in fine detail, current dance-movement therapy practice in Australia - and was reported on at the dance-movement therapy conference, ‘Weaving the Threads’, in November. The second, an intergenerational project, to be conducted by Jessica Lesosky, will be reported on at a later date.

Call for applications 2008 now open

The Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation is now inviting applications from persons in Australia intending or currently conducting research, or projects that could contribute towards research, that are assessed to advance the field of Dance-Movement Therapy and the quality of its practice. Small projects that can contribute to future larger studies are considered worthwhile for submission. HEMF recognises that the advancement of the profession requires that research be undertaken and reported on. The awarding of the grants is as much to provide public encouragement and recognition of this work as financial assistance.

The grant for 2008 will comprise a single grant of $2,000 or two of $1,000.

All projects are to:
- be from applicants who are students or practitioners in the field of dance therapy, or working towards the development of dance-movement therapy, in Australia, whether or not they are members of the Dance-Movement Therapy Association of Australia,
- be conducted in Australia,
- be carried out into the use of Dance-Movement Therapy, or relating to it, (e.g. it could be into the use of music for dance-movement therapy) to contribute to its unique knowledge-base,
- contribute to the understanding and furtherance of the practice of Dance-Movement Therapy in Australia: to broaden the understanding of its effects.

The deadline for applications is Friday 30th May 2008.

Download selection criteria

Potential applicants are welcome to call or email to discuss project proposals.

For further information and application documents please phone:
Naomi Aitchison naitchison@optusnet.com.au phone (03) 9878 1602 OR dtaa@alphalink.com.au

H.E.M.F Grant Applications,
Dance-Movement Therapy Association of Australia,
P.O. Box 641, Carlton South, Victoria 3053.

 

Donations

The Foundation invites all interested persons to make donations in order to generate more funds to support research and dissemination of the research findings. Donations should be addressed to The Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation and sent to H.E.M.F., DTAA, P.O.Box 641, Carlton South, Victoria 3053.

 

Hanny Exiner Memorial Foundation Managing Committee

Naomi Aitchison, retired (previously dance therapist and dance educator)
Dianne Albiston, Clinical Program Manager at ORYGEN Youth Health
Ron Exiner, Company Director
Jill Groom, retired
Jane Guthrie, Physiotherapist, Department Head and Team Leader, Epworth Hospital
Dr. John Lloyd, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, Royal Melbourne Hospital
Phyllis Lloyd, Medical Practice Manager