[Adta] re Bringing Dance to Elders

[Heather Hill]

Hi Donna, Lora and Susan!

Donna, I have put your flyer aside as a good example of an ad for this sort of session.  It looks inviting!

I also wanted to give some of my experience.  I've done many sessions for activities people/care staff working with people with dementia.  I'm quite clear that I'm not teaching dance therapy - but I'm certainly drawing on my dance therapy skills and certainly conveying some of the important aspects of working with people which we dance therapists are so skilled in.

As I would do with a client, I start with where people are at, and build on that.  And that is how I present it to them, viz - you already use some movement...or music...or props, you have this or that experience - now let's build on that.

The other important input I make - which again comes from my dance therapy skills - is to raise people's awareness of the interpersonal (how you approach, sensitivity to personal space etc.) and the environment (creating a space where things can happen).  In other words, every workshop is not just about the WHAT but the HOW.  This is particularly important with people with dementia, but really with anyone.

I guess that is why I think it's great for dance therapists to run these sorts of sessions, because they don't just bring ideas/activities, but can tap into the creativity/skills of the participants and can also encourage that all too important awareness that it's not what you do, but the way that you do it!

I've actually just run such a workshop this weekend, and the feedback was about those very things - increased awareness about working with someone with dementia plus new ideas.  Another piece of feedback was that they felt affirmed in their work and its value.

I guess what's coming clear to me as I write is that we as dance therapists can do more than teach facts (in this case specific activities), but can facilitate a process of learning which taps into the creative capacity of each participant.

Regards,
Heather
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.adta.org/pipermail/adta/attachments/20070828/05544970/attachment.htm