The healing power of touch and caresses in Biodanza

The Power of Contact and Caress in Biodanza is based on affective touch as a direct means of nervous, emotional, and relational regulation, highlighting the importance of tactile C fibres that transmit slow and pleasant caresses to the emotional brain.

Exploring the power of touch

In Biodanza texts, touch and caresses are more than gestures; they are considered a biological language of affection that organises identity and strengthens bonds with others, beyond words. By touching and being touched with respect, tenderness and presence, an experience of belonging, security and deep recognition is fostered.

The neuroscience perspective on contact

• Warm, rhythmic touch activates tactile C fibres, sending slow signals to the limbic system, which promotes states of calm, pleasure and connection.
• This type of touch increases oxytocin and serotonin levels, reduces cortisol, and helps regulate the autonomic nervous system, facilitating a state of rest and repair.

The restorative function of caressing

At Biodanza, Touch and caresses transcend mere technique to become acts of human connection that repair emotional deficiencies and dissolve experiences of isolation. It is considered a true power that, when handled with care, boundaries, and consent, can profoundly transform interpersonal relationships, improving body image, basic trust, and the ability to develop healthy intimacy.

A caress repairs emotional deficiencies.

In Biodanza, contact and caresses are not “techniques”, but acts of human encounter that repair emotional deficiencies and dissolve experiences of isolation.
It is considered a power because, when handled carefully with boundaries and consent, it can transform the way people relate to each other: it improves body image, basic confidence and the capacity for healthy intimacy. 

In Biodanza, this type of contact is always proposed from a very careful ethical standpoint, where respect for personal boundaries and explicit consent are essential for the experience to be truly nourishing. When the body feels that its “no” is heard and its “yes” is welcomed, the nervous system lets its guard down and can move from a state of chronic alertness to a more open, trusting and receptive disposition. In this climate of security, a gentle caress on the arm, a sustained hug or simply feeling the weight of another hand on the back become clear messages of “you are okay as you are”, promoting processes of emotional repair that often could not take place in earlier stages of life.

Caressing is also something you learn

On a daily basis, the effects of integrating more conscious contact often translate into small but significant changes: improved sleep, reduced reactivity to stress, and an increased ability to ask for support when something hurts or overwhelms us. In the protected space of a Biodanza session, individuals can explore new ways of connecting—giving and receiving tenderness, supporting and allowing themselves to be supported—and, over time, bring this new way of being in the body to their relationships outside the room, creating more loving, present, and mutually caring bonds.