The mother-adolescent daughter relationship as embodied in joint dancing

Relations between adolescent girls and their mothers are influenced by the emotional fluctuations during adolescence; they affect the consolidation of identity and separation; and, can be a source of tension and frustration. Though these topics are important, there is no observational tool with which to examine the implicit, non-verbal, aspects of the relationship between mothers and their adolescent daughters. Using a qualitative-phenomenological paradigm, the aim of this study was to examine the way in which developmental processes in adolescence are embodied in the non-verbal communication between mothers and adolescent girls. Eighteen pairs of mothers and daughters aged 12–15 (n = 36) in Israel were filmed during joint free movement, and participated in a semi-structured interview. An interpretive-phenomenological thematic analysis was conducted in which three themes were revealed: movement that embodied parenting style (“far, yet close,” “absent presence”/”invasiveness”); reconnection – ways to regain closeness following detachment through the body; and, the significance of embodied knowledge with respect to sexuality and power in relations. The findings extend our understanding of the non-verbal dynamics between mothers and their daughters and their impact on individuation processes, the daughter's behavior in the relationship, and on her sense of comfort with her own body.