Online Classes
Dance to health from wherever you are, weekly!
One of our qualified Dance Artists, Helen Fletcher, delivers our falls prevention dance sessions every Monday, 2-3.30pm, via Zoom.
What is it?
Evidence-backed falls prevention through dance
Verified strength and balance exercises combined with the creativity, expression and energy of dance.
Fun and social
Social time with other members of the community included.
Fully remote, £32/month
Connect from the comfort of your home, join an online community, and get dancing for just £32/month!
Or reach out to her via helensollis@hotmail.com
Benefits of the Dance to Health programme:
Safe and consistent method of delivery.
Develop strength and balance.
Prevent falls.
Huge boost to mood every week!
“I can really feel my posture has improved after just a few weeks! I enjoy the stretching within the dancing and it has made me realise how little I exercise my arms normally.”
– Participant
Key Information
What happens during a session?
A session will have 60 minutes of dance, choreographed by the dance artist. Each of our dance artists have their own, unique dance experiences and style. They will bring this to the session but they will also tailor the music and dance to the preferences of participants.
The dancing is followed by up to 30 minutes of social time.
What evidence is there that the Dance To Health programme works?
Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC) at Sheffield Hallam University was commissioned to evaluate of the Dance to Health. They found that:
– Dance to Health offers the health system an effective and cost-effective means to address the issue of older people’s falls.
– Dance to Health reduces falls by 58%
– If an older person visits A&E because of a fall, the likelihood of their becoming an in-patient is 35%. This reduces to 13% for Dance to Health participants.
Dance to Health’s fidelity to existing physiotherapy programmes was also confirmed.
As a result of Dance to Health:
– 96% of participants report becoming more physically active,
– 96% report increased mental wellbeing,
– 87% report making new friends.
– 98% of participants’ families and friends said they would recommend the Dance to Health programme to people who have fallen or who are at risk of falling.
What training do your Dance Artists have?
We recruit talented dance artists with experience of working with older people, in health and wellbeing programmes or inclusive dance. They are DBS checked, first aid trained and have appropriate insurance.
They are trained in PSI (Postural Stability Instruction); a physiotherapy-based qualification that the NHS give to their physiotherapists. We then give them more training on how to incorporate the PSI into dance.
What do care home staff say about the programme?
“Staff have noticed the decrease of falls in residents from starting Dance to Health. Those who join enjoy the music and one lady always gets up to dance holding onto her chair and is more stable doing so with each session.”
“The sessions are fun and energising, and dancing is what our residents love to do. During the pandemic when many older people were more isolated with limitations on physical activity, the Dance to Health team adapted and offered video sessions instead. This was a lifeline for some of our residents.”
“Barbara will often stay in her flat and not involve herself in activity, however Barbara has enjoyed interacting with Dance to Health Programme.”
“Molly will sometime struggle with mobility as legs get achy but since Dance to Health she seems to have gained strength in her legs.”
Contact helensollis@hotmail.com to observe a class, make a booking or find out more.
Any other questions?
Please complete the information below if you would like a member of our team to contact you to discuss how Dance to Health can help.