Dance Leaders

“Dance Leaders” is a new DQDT project aiming to help improve the physical and mental well being of older people through dance, whilst also inspiring individual creativity and community engagement.
The project which has been supported by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland through their Arts and Older Peoples programme and will provide access to free local contemporary dance classes for older people living in Fermanagh during 2017.
The project will take place in 3 phases:
Phase 1 commences in early 2017 with a series of free Contemporary (gentle movement to music) dance workshops in the Lakeland Forum Enniskillen on a Tuesday from 11-12. These classes remain open to new members at all times and will continue until the end of May.
Phase 2 will provide project participants who have attended the initial contemporary dance classes in Phase 1 and would like to take their experience further, with an opportunity to undertake training with Dylan Quinn Dance Theatre and Occupational Therapist Corinna Keaney. This training will enable the participants to take on the role of “Dance Leader” and become facilitators of dance workshops for their peers who are currently living in care settings.
Phase 3 will see the Dance Leaders work with DQDT to delivery a short programme of Contemporary Dance (gentle movement to music) classes for older people in 3 care homes in Fermanagh. The “Dance Leaders” will help share their experiences and increase the opportunities for social engagement and creative development to those isolated by their physical location and living circumstances.
The entire project will be documented by film maker Róisín Loughrey and the final phase of the project will see the Dance Leaders both leading dance classes for their peers and presenting a short documentary film about the work they have undertaken throughout the process.
This project aims to increase the number of older people participating in contemporary movement in Fermanagh, whilst also raising the positive profile of older people being active participants in their community.
If you know of anyone who would be interested in attending the free workshops or finding out more about the project please fell free to contact us on 028 66328686 or email admin@dylanquinndance.org for further information.
Note: The still at the top of the page is of Mary one of our dancers from or Etched film created as part of a previous dance and older peoples project created with film maker Róisín Loughrey.