The Mavromatis Institute | Mi is pleased to announce the publication of its inaugural scholarly paper from the Laboratory for Embodied Research and the Human Condition, titled "Gestalt Therapy and Argentine Tango: An Embodied Framework for Relational Awareness and Socio-Emotional Development". This work represents a significant advancement in interdisciplinary research, integrating psychotherapy, movement science, and experiential learning into a novel framework for socio-emotional development.
Authored by Pavlos Mavromatis, the paper positions Argentine Tango as an improvisational, dyadic practice that operationalizes core Gestalt Therapy principles—contact, field regulation, phenomenological awareness, experiential cycling, and creative adjustment. By synthesizing findings from psychology, neuroscience, and movement science, the framework demonstrates how tango facilitates emotional regulation, empathy, social bonding, and embodied relational awareness, offering a structured somatic environment for experiential learning.
Significance for Research and Practice
This publication establishes a foundation for future interdisciplinary, process-oriented studies, bridging theory and application across psychotherapy, education, and movement-based interventions. By systematically conceptualizing tango as a laboratory for relational and embodied learning, the paper highlights mechanisms of change that have previously been underexplored, offering new avenues for evidence-based intervention, translational research, and applied therapeutic practice.
Paper Details
- Author: Pavlos Mavromatis
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/4sqrc_v2
- Keywords: Argentine Tango, Dance Therapy, Embodied Cognition, Experiential Psychotherapy, Gestalt Therapy, Partnered Dance, Relational Awareness, Socio-Emotional Development
About the Laboratory for Embodied Research and the Human Condition
The Laboratory at Mavromatis Institute conducts rigorous research into embodied cognition, relational learning, and socio-emotional development, emphasizing methods that integrate lived experience, movement, and interactive processes. Its mission is to advance evidence-based knowledge that informs therapy, education, and cultural practice, while fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and societal impact.
Media & Grant Inquiries
Mavromatis Institute | Mi
Canada
Email: the@mavromatisinstitute.org
Website: https://mavromatisinstitute.org
End of Release
Authorized Signatory
Pavlos Mavromatis
Founder, Mavromatis Institute