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Dance Magic Dance A toolkit for creative dance in residential care settings INTRODUCTION Aims Whatever the context or dance style participants should experience: Dance in care homes oers people a Enjoyment chance to take part in a fun activity Engagement that can have a number of really Mobility positive impacts. It’s a safe, enjoyable way for people to maintain mobility Opportunities for creative expression and at the same time have an Social interaction opportunity to express themselves It’s important that people have a creatively. choice about joining in. For some residents it may prompt Oer a shared dance moment rather memories of dancing when they than imposing or coercing people were young, taking part in jiving and to take part in dance activities. We other social dances. It can be fun always remember that this is people’s home and some people don’t want to to experience a seated version of have dance visited upon them as they Strictly Come Dancing. Alternatively relax in the lounge. So we need to find participants might enjoy some gentle a way of tempting residents to join us creative dancing with props such as in dance and respecting their right to scarves and feathers. say no if they don’t want to. “….older people are not a category apart. We will all grow old one day – if we have that privilege, that is. Let us therefore look at older people not as people separate from ourselves but as our future selves. And let us recognise that older people are all individuals with individual strengths and needs, not a group that are all the same because of their age.” KOFI ANNAN (2002) UN WORLD ASSEMBLY ON AGEING, MADRID creativeageing.co.uk PLANNING A DANCE SESSION WITH OLDER PEOPLE Health related benefi ts The following list includes some of the positive impacts on health. It is useful to consider which of these are priorities for the individuals in a group. Dance which is o ered as part of a falls prevention Why dance? programme will have di erent priorities Dance is a combination of patterns from a session in a continuing care ward – it helps create change. If we just for people with dementia. do repetitive exercise we get stuck in certain grooves. Dance creates Improve balance change – change means less fatigue – variety is stimulating. If people are Improve circulation stimulated they are more likely to Mobilise joints want to carry on attending. Retain / regain mobility It’s important to remember that Improve muscle tone dance is an art form and has the potential to engage the whole person Promote quicker reactions – it o ers an aesthetic experience Mental stimulation and opportunities for self expression. These are just as important to well- Improve posture / co-ordination being as the exercises which build Improve continence / strength and increase fl exibility. bowel function Having fun / laughing Alleviate depression Social interaction MANAGING ROLES If you have support workers or volunteers in the session think about what their role will be. Guidelines for leading Do you want them to join in or observe? group dance sessions It’s worth thinking this through beforehand – sometimes people’s, Allow time for participants well intentioned, helper behaviour can to respond be quite disruptive. Resist the temptation to intervene It’s a good idea to have a chat with if someone is not moving in the way support workers beforehand and share you would expect. All contributions with them the above guidelines. You are valid and there is no wrong way could also ask them to: to respond (unless movement is inadvisable on medical grounds). Join in the activities and show a positive response. Their interest Give help on a 1:1 basis if someone has and enthusiasm is more likely to di culties (eg hearing / vision loss) encourage participation than repeating or asks for help dance leader instructions. Do not passively move Try to stay for the whole session and participants’ limbs only permit those interruptions that Lead as non-verbally as you can are absolutely necessary (eg respond to non-urgent phone calls after Take your lead from the person rather the session). than giving instructions. Adapt your approach to suit the individual participants (in this work ‘one size does not suit all’) Try to have fun – an enjoyable few minutes may be a real joy for the individuals and for you. creativeageing.co.uk IDEAS FOR SEATED DANCE ACTIVITY Dance sessions can be done with small or large groups, in any room where TOP TIP: people are able to gather comfortably. If there are people with dementia Sessions can be as long or short as you in the group you may need to say need them to be. Whatever the length of their name and suggest a move or your dance session try to have a simple be ready to copy any small gesture structure that includes: they make. An introductory activity 1 or 2 warm ups At least 1 creative activity A cool down or ending Introductory activity Gently roll a large ball or tap a Go round the circle and each large balloon to each person and person says their name and makes 1say their name. Alternatively use a 2 a move. Everyone repeats the name soft toy or bean bag – something and the move. which is easy to catch. WARM UPS Here are some tried and tested warm Seated Exercises: up activities – feel free to make up your own and be ready to follow residents Lower Body who initiate a move. The main aim here is (Music Track 2 A Jig and a to work the main muscle groups and Caper JABADAO) suggest ways of putting joints through their range of movement. There is no Tap feet slowly (to the half beat) need to include all of these activities and Lift heel leaving ball of foot on fl oor it may be appropriate to just do a few Tap toe then heel – change legs repetitions rather than allowing the Roll from toe to heel – change legs activity to continue to the end of the music. Marching Charlie Chaplin steps Tap ball of foot on coloured spot on fl oor, change to heel. Repeat with other foot Lift leg and lower. Repeat with other leg Lift leg – then circle foot slowly in both directions. Repeat with other leg “Free style movements”. Shake and pat down creativeageing.co.uk WARM UPS Seated Exercises for Elastic Stretch Upper Body (Music “The Stripper” Joe Loss – from (Music “Java Jive” The Inkspots) ‘The Full Monty’ soundtrack) Circle shoulder backwards A fun activity which gets the heart beating faster. All hold a large piece of soft Rock your baby stretchy elastic, stretched around the circle. Raise arms and look through the space Hold and kick legs – changing Stir stew – large movement legs each time clockwise and anti-clockwise Hold and kick – stretching out Royal wave – change direction – with arms change arms Wind the bobbin up – then pull, Pretend to catch ‘bubbles’ with pull, pull a clap Finish freestyle Paint the fence – change arms Pinch together fi nger to thumb – This works well to ‘The Stripper’ music - each fi ngers – then change hands you could also try free move to a slower piece of classical music. There is no Play imaginary piano right or wrong way - the challenge is to Play your neighbour’s get the ‘fi t’ right for your group. imaginary piano CREATIVE ACTIVITIES Feathers Expanding (Music – any gentle piano music such as creative activities Einaudi collection) Dance is a wonderful way to make an Seated in a circle, a feather is passed event of your activity. Think about your round with gentle music playing in the session in a wider context. What about background. seasonal activities, Morris Dancing in the spring? A tango for Valentine’s Leader moves around the room Day? Have some fun with your creative asking individuals to ‘blow’ the activities. Could you tie it into a TV feather o the back / palm of show or regular movie night? her hand. Feather is then blown / caught from Strictly Come Dancing person to person around the circle. Try adapting a cha-cha or tango and Introduce a second feather going the perform it seated with ‘ballroom hold’. opposite way around the circle. Participants may enjoy dressing up with In pairs or threes people pass the feather boas and long gloves. feather back and forth ‘playing’ and exploring ways of blowing / patting / passing the feather. Seated tap dance Home made tap shoes – buttons sewn Scarves onto a band of fabric or elastic or a (Music – try classical music and then fabric. Add some sticks made from something livelier like a Charleston) doweling and a few bowler hats and you can have your own musical theatre Explore dierent ways of making routine. (Make sure no-one stands up scarves move wearing the ‘tap shoes’). Make a scarf dance in small groups Have a ‘question and answer’ dance: A moves – B responds …A moves – B responds etc creativeageing.co.uk COOL DOWN & ENDINGS Cool down Small dances & 1-2-1 (Music Track 6 A Jig and A Caper Dance isn’t just about working with a JABADAO) large group and it may be di cult for you to get a group of residents together all Encourage residents to gently at the same time. Sometimes it’s easier stretch our right leg then left leg to work with people in small groups or Open arms outwards in a even one to one. This can be an e ective gentle stretch way of engaging hard to reach residents - perhaps people who are no longer able to Hug arms into the body communicate verbally or even residents who are in bed.

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