Our work in hospitals
Dance and movement for wellbeing
Our learning and participation dance artists deliver a range of workshops, experiences and performances for all ages; from children to older adults, across a variety of settings from community organisations and care homes to hospital atriums and wards.Dance Well delivers one-to-one movement and dance interactions, as well as activities in small groups. Each interaction is adapted to the individual.
Akademi’s track record of community and health work demonstrates that South Asian dance can have a powerful impact on the health and wellbeing of the general population.
Physical inactivity costs the NHS over £450m per year (Gov, 2016) and is the leading cause of long-term health conditions such as coronary heart disease, Type II diabetes, cancer. Levels of adherence to “traditional” physical activity such as gym membership and seated exercises classes are suboptimal (Picorelli, Periera, Pereira, FelÍcio, Sherrington, 2014; Franco et al. 2016).
The creative arts are evidenced to act as agents of wellness and healing, through stimulation of creativity, and by incorporating music, movement, humour and aesthetics (2010, Malchiodi) and dance can therefore provide a creative, nurturing enjoyable alternative.
These issues have been amplified by the effects of the COVID19 pandemic, resulting in an even greater need for our work within the communities we serve. Many members of our Dance Well community are vulnerable, living with chronic health conditions including dementia, and many experience anxiety, isolation and loneliness. By increasing levels of physical activity through dance classes, while providing opportunities for social interaction and shared experiences, it may be possible to delay the onset or reduce the impact of disease and increase overall levels of physical and mental health and wellbeing.
Alongside the Dance Well participatory programme, Akademi delivers a hugely successful performance programme across a number of London hospitals, including a 24 year long-standing partnership with Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust. Feedback from existing hospital programmes has demonstrated the positive impact these performances have on patients, visitors and staff alike.
Evaluation
Dance Well is evaluated throughout, so that what we learn shapes what we do next.
We collect evaluation data including observations, participant feedback and quotes. Together, these build an evidence base for creative-health work, particularly the use of South Asian dance in hospital settings. This evaluation:
- generates learning that helps us improve our practice and refine how the programme is delivered.
- deepens our understanding of the value of creative health.
- contributes to the wider arts and creative-health evidence base and ecology.
- has the potential to inform and influence NHS and public-health policy.
Programmes
Our work with older adults
Dance and movement programmes for older audiences
Our work in schools
Our movement workshops for all ages and abilities
Reports and evaluations
Dance Well – news and more
Dance Well | Digital Resources
Browse all the resources
Mudra Month at Dance Well
A month-long celebration of Mudras and their use in self-expression
Akademi @ V&A Festival
Performance by our Dance Well group from Holborn Community Association
Dance Well Takeaways
A lockdown solution for our Dance Well participants – takeaway cards designed to keep us all moving at home
Dance Well | 3 Year Project Report
Akademi’s full report of the three-year project, Dance Well, including challenges and learning from the process and where this work will now take us.
Dance Well | Dance for all
Akademi are excited to announce the launch of our two-day learning and participation training event for dance practitioners on 11 and 12 March at the Sonia Sabri Company in Birmingham.
Dance Well | Article in Art Professional
Older adults living with chronic health conditions are improving their physical and mental wellbeing through the joy of South Asian dance, writes Claire Farmer in Arts Professional.
Dance Well | Engage International Conference
Claire Farmer and Archita Kumar travel to Manchester to present at the Engage International Conference – A social prescription: Collaboration through arts, health and education.