SEND schools research project update
In 2022, we embarked on a research project to better understand the potential benefits of the South Asian dance classes run by Akademi for autistic learners in the SEND schools as part of our Reach Out and Reveal project. This blogpost is written by the researchers on the project, Claire Farmer and Dr. Ashley McGill.
As the research project for Akademi’s Reach Out and Reveal programme comes to an end, sharing of our findings and what this means for the future of dance in these settings is important. As academic researchers, publishing work in peer reviewed journals is key to providing an evidence base for policy makers and funders, however even more important is sharing this information with those working in SEND settings, parents, teachers and dancers.
This year we were accepted to present our research for Akademi at the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science (IADMS) annual conference in Rimini, Italy. IADMS is an international network of researchers, educators and clinicians with a vision to improve the health of dancers and the use of dance for health through resources, research and educational events. This was a wonderful opportunity to discuss Akademi’s work within SEND schools with other professionals and colleagues in the field and further demonstrate how this research is engaging with recent calls for the inclusion of arts-based, person-centred, and collaborative approaches within Dance for Health research.
During this presentation, we outlined interim results from the 2nd year of the project demonstrating how the dance classes are helping many learners with limb coordination, independency in movement, ability to reach their limbs (particularly reaching arms overhead) and widening their movement vocabulary within the dance space. While many learners did have notes of improved engagement and focus, this fluctuates across time and is dependent on other personal and environmental contextual factors. We were programmed alongside Dr Amanda Clifford and Dr Orfhlaith Ni Bhriain from the University of Limerick who discussed experiences of participating in a music and social dance programme for older adults. It was good to see a resonance of practices and methodologies across our two presentations as well as a passion for continuing to advocate for this work in relation to policy and funding.
On 30th January 2025 we were also invited to share our work at the Dance and Health Research Show and Tell organized by Imperial College and the Helix Centre. Those working in dance for health as well as people who have danced in these contexts and found benefit for their health and wellbeing gathered at the Royal Academy of Dance in Battersea to share experiences and research findings as well as to participate in a short practical workshop of Aesop’s Dance to Health programme. This was a wonderful opportunity to share space with those participating in dance in this context as well as those carrying out research in this area, particularly as co-creation is so important to our work in Reach Out and Reveal. Collaborative opportunities such as this are important for continuing this work and ensuring the research remains iterative and effective to the needs of the moment.
As we move into the final stages of the project where we are interested in the generalization of dance skills into the children’s wider life we are excited to launch the Reach Out and Reveal Parents and Teachers Resource book. This resource book, devised in collaboration with the Akademi dance artists working in the schools, provides a playlist, dance movements, mudras and invitations to explore stories that have developed out of the dance artists’ work with the children and the research. The ability to take the experiences of the dance class out into home and school life was an important factor that came up during initial coffee mornings with parents. This pack will allow them to play the music from dance classes at home, and share in their children’s new-found movements and expression.
Findings from the 3-year research project will be shared in a final project report later this year with peer-reviewed publications to follow.
Also we published an article about this research that Akademi has undertaken, in Animated magazine’s Winter 2025 issue. In this article titled ‘Rigour and Reality’, we share thoughts and reflections about the research and important methodological considerations.