Silver Dancers
About
Silver Dancers offers older people in residential care access to a quality arts experience as participants and audiences. We work with the care home staff, dance practitioners and participants to create a weekly programme to support creativity, self-expression, socialising, communication to staff, share memories and keep moving.
Each session is 45-60 minutes, led by a highly experienced practitioners, and supporting a volunteer, new practitioner or care home staff to help lead sessions. Each session consisted of warm-ups, themed dances, creative activities and cool-down, each having specific aims mobilising different parts of the body and movement to help with cognitive functions and stimulating memorise. These usually take place seated, with the option to stand, in a social space within the home.
We have found residents who have taken part in the Silver Dancers programme have had a number of positive impacts, for example:
Residents noticed:
- their stamina had increased, the length of the session increased to over an hour
- feeling hungrier after the sessions
- that they felt tired after sessions
- an increase in their confidence
- they have been challenging themselves to do more in the sessions
Practitioners noted in participants:
- some of their balance improved
- a change from seated chair dance to more people standing to dance
- an improved perception of strength
- pride and a sense of achievement, noting changes in their bodies, stamina and their ability during tasks.
- improved confidence and increase in their self-esteem during the programme.
Care home staff observed:
- Generally there has been an increase in body confidence with one of the most common benefits across the programme being a perceived improvement in balance and strength and being able to dance on their feet rather than sitting.
Current Activity
Jan 2018
We are launching a new project in Hatherleigh and Barnstaple thanks to a private donation in 2017.
Past Activity
January -December 2014
Dance in Devon began a year long project working with six Devon County Council care homes in Devon. Th e following practitioners have been working in homes across Devon to delivery this project:
- Sue Smith and Tamsin Bone: Newton Abbot
- Ruth Bell and Sarah Farrow-Jones: Bovey Tracey
- Susanna Oxenham and Katie Kelsey: Dawlish
- Jules Laville and Sarah Farrow-Jones: Ivybridge
- Rosie Perdikeas: Tavistock
- Sue Way: Crediton
On International Older Peoples Day (1st October 2014) we invited the all the homes we have been working to a celebration event. The residents shared what they have been doing in their sessions with each other. They watched a performance by DanceLab who animated each others’ personal histories. They had a singing workshop with Plymouth Music Zone, were serenaded with a live jazz band over lunch and the day finished with a performance by aerial dance company UpSwing.
The project was funded by the Big Lottery, the Dulverton Trust and Public Health Development Fund and worked with 168 older people in 6 residential homes in Devon over 12 months.
Images
All Images from Silver Dancers celebration event at Dance in Time 2014
Photographs by Kevin Clifford
Silver Dancers Film
We wanted to create a film about one person’s experience of the programme, so we teamed up with film director Amanda Bluglass to make Margaret’s film.
Directed and Produced by Amanda Bluglass 2014
Shot and Edited by Danny Cooke
Participant Stories
I like the dance sessions because the ladies encourage me to get up and dance. I only do this on Wednesdays. Staff just put the telly on. It’s good exercise, I do notice a difference in myself, and I get my legs moving.
I love it, very arty, there isn’t enough Art for us older folk!
This is the first time in a long time that I have stood without my walker
I like the dance sessions because the ladies encourage me to get up and dance. I only do this on Wednesdays. Staff just put the telly on. It’s good exercise, I do notice a difference in myself, and I get my legs moving.
The residents get a lot out of Silver Dancers: They are moving their bodies for one thing, [..] listening to different music, they’re challenging their minds. […] You’re just smiling […] They go into a different place when they are listening to the music and doing the different activities.
It’s a definite help to their wellbeing. […] The sessions allow them to show a different side of themselves; yesterday they might of sat and watched telly all morning, and today it’s an activity, rather than sitting there mundanely watching telly. It’s using a different part of them, and it’s like they are part of a big family.
Before, lots of the residents would sit and listen, but they won’t like to get involved. Over time they have grown in confidence and look forward to the dancing. Every time the ladies come in you see their faces light up!
Evaluation
To read Dance in Devon’s full evaluation report from June 2015 please download a copy here.
Contact Details
Contact Lizzy Humber (Project Manager)
Email: projectmanger@danceindevon.org.uk