GENERATION DANCE

Ms Linda Robinson, Director of Age NI - Welcomed participants to the half-day with an introduction to the need for research and community practice to target our rapdily ageing population in Northern Ireland.

Dr Jenny Elliott - CEO of Arts Care NI - opened the event with a presentation on the need for the creative provision of dance as a health care activity. She criticised the notion of dispensing dance to patients, calling for dance to be a basic human right for all as one of the richest, most empowering and ennobling of art forms. This talk was followed by a Laban dance practical.

Dr Jenny Elliott on creativity in dance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DcE0pFjqbc

Journey of a Laban Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5bF_9rouZo

Ms Heather Gordon - all-Ireland Zumba support training officer - spoke about the benefits of Zumba Gold for the elderly. These dance classes break down social, mental and physical boundaries; promote increased mobility and independence; stave off Alzheimers and dementia; reduce stress and increase energy levels; counter osteoporosis and retain muscle density in the body. This talk was preceded by a Zumba practical.

Ms Heather Gordon zumba practical: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHjyPLNsoPI

Ms Sarah Chipperfield - Senior Lecturer in Health and Rehabilitation at the University of Huddersfield - spoke about her research into social 'tea dancing' as falls prevention in community dwelling senior citizens. She demonstrated key tests in assessing the motility of senior dancers: Functional Reach tests; the Falls Efficacy Scale; the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale; Tinetti performance orientated mobility and gait tests. She also discussed the benefits of pattern recognition in dance for helping dementia sufferers, and noted the excellence of the following community dance programmes: CHANGE4LIFE; MOVE FOR LIFE; DANCE4LIFE; ESSENTIALLY DANCE. She recommended the following website for inspiration:

http://www.patientvoices.org.uk/flv/0338pv384.htm

Dr Catherine Foley - course director of both the MA in Ethnochoreology and the MA in Irish Traditional Dance Performance at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, University of Limerick - presented and discussed the 200 year old set dancing tradition in Ireland and how it can be a public health asset to the country. Transgenerational, non-judgemental, peace and community-building, socially inclusive, set dancing days and ceilidh nights are more than just "good craic"! Set dancing gives enjoyment, achievement, wellbeing to participants and observers. It is also the living embodiment of a tacit knowledge sedimented in our bodies and realised by our music. Dr Foley then demonstrated the Sionna Set which she choreographed.

Dr Catherine Foley teaching the Sionna Set: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHPSQZ583qw

The Black Widows - This all-female dance troupe closed the proceedings with a performance of 'Connection', a dance piece about their 700 years of local Belfast knowledge and experience. Discussion of this event can be heard on the John Toal show, Radio Ulster, broadcast by the BBC on 23rd April 2011.

The Black Widows performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSQvK6RidB8

Our thanks go to the speakers, participants, CARDI, Queen's, QUB student helpers, and the School of Music for support, funding and use of premises. Further inquiries and forthcoming forum information are available from Dr Jonathan Skinner [j.skinner @ qub.ac.uk]