Creative Activities for Wellbeing Centres
Creative Seated Dance Training and Mentoring Programme
Background & Benefits
Creative Seated Dance(CSD) combines movement and creative ideas. The dance is seated to enable older people, or those with motor difficulties, to participate. However there is nothing to stop people from standing up especially as they gain confidence and strength. CSD uses movement, music and props to explore creative ideas, enables participants to forget that they are exercising, to reminisce, to get caught up in the movement, ideas or music and forget their limitations. All the while exercising mind and body and increasing well-being. CSD involve all the individuals as everyone is able to contribute and share their experience creating a social and secure environment where older adults can improve their physical, mental and social health.
This programme has developed from ‘Tea Time to Dance’. Activity co-ordinators from this project commented on how much more their residents participated in CSD then they did in their exercise classes and their desire to incorporate CSD in the work they did. We also wanted to develop a sustainable and affordable model to enable as many older adults to access this highly beneficial activity as possible and this led to a very successful pilot project last summer.
The Project
The programme will consist of 3 full training days and 5 mentoring sessions with experienced Dance artists and Movement Therapists. The mentoring sessions will include a preparation meeting before the Creative Seated Dance session, support during the session and feedback and advice afterwards. Each mentoring session will be 2.5 hours and one will be held in each borough of the county, with a new or existing group, who meet weekly at the same time. The mentoring sessions will be for a max of 5 participants including staff and volunteers from that setting. We will support the development of new classes and will also supply each setting with basic props used for Creative Seated Dance.
Quote from Pilot Trainee:
I knew it would be great for the heart, good exercise and an enjoyable creative activity. What I didn’t predict was it’s(CSD) ability to put all the participants in the now. There is a peacefulness and trust built up during the class and this makes us feel part of something and not so singular and alone.
Cost
This programme will be free to borough and county funded care homes and day centres and to those settings nominated by their borough Arts officer. There will be a small charge for privately run settings.
For more information contact: