PEOPLE living with dementia and their carers, friends and family members are invited to new sessions being run by the dance department at York St John University.
The sessions aim to provide a sense of wellbeing for people in the early stages of dementia and their companions and are suitable for all ages and levels of experience.
Elaine Harvey, senior lecturer in dance, is running the sessions. She said: “I’ve a passionate belief in what dance can do and these sessions will emphasise creativity, playfulness, imagination and fun.
"Dance can be a problematic word – people tend to think of themselves as someone who can dance or someone who can’t. In other cultures this divide between those who can and can’t doesn’t really exist – if you have a body, young or old, you can dance.
“Dance and dementia is a growing area of research; there’s a link between creativity, playfulness and wellbeing. There’s something very special about and particular to dance in that it involves the whole person – body, mind and feeling.
"Dance involves moving with a particular awareness and a feeling for the quality of movement and this mindful focus on the present can be restorative and healthful for everyone, whether they have dementia or not.”
York St John dance students in training
Elaine was inspired to run the sessions because in her career as a dance artist working within a diverse range of settings she has witnessed how dance can transform and affirm the lives of individuals and communities. This has particular importance for those living with dementia.
“We experience the world, first and foremost, through our bodies. We express ourselves and communicate with others through our bodies and yet the emphasis of our sense of self is often placed on our minds – we live in our heads. In dance our experience is not dependent on verbal skills and we can connect more readily with our embodied self and with others.”
Dance students from the university will support the sessions.
The university has been working with the Alzheimer's Society to encourage participation.
Elaine said: “Participating in dance activities has been shown to have several physiological and psychological benefits including stress reduction, encouraging social interaction, maximizing cognitive function, improving balance and overall fitness – the list goes on and on.
"While all of this is true the sessions we’re offering are not about treating symptoms; rather it is an opportunity to dance, to play and to feel good in one’s body. No prior dance experience is needed, just a willingness to have a go.”
The sessions will run in the dance studio at York St John on Lord Mayor’s Walk on Tuesday mornings, 10.30 to 11.30am, from Tuesday, October 27 to December 15. Places must be booked in advance by calling 01904 876433.
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