Programs for Senior Populations

"We look forward to every week when you come. It is a highlight for us…to dance, to sing, to move. The energy you bring makes us feel alive and we love it. You are welcome anytime. "

Participant at the Fort Greene Senior Action Center, Brooklyn, NY

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senior art in action

This program is designed to activate seniors physically, creatively, mentally and emotionally.  Weekly 75-minute sessions follow a similar format in three parts: warm up, creation, and sharing.

  •  Warm Up: Designed by Artichoke Dance with a physical therapist to address the specific physicality of an aging population, addressing range of motion, muscular activation, lung capacity and balance. Participants follow along with the instructor and modifications are given for cane, walker, or wheelchair users. Fun and done to music.

  •  Creation: Participants are guided to create dances, individually and with others, based upon a topic of their choice. Past participants have chosen to reflect on a particular era in time, evoking memory, a geographic location, reflecting on home, and topics of concern or interest, such as freedom or family. Creative exploration may include writing, drawing, singing, or other activities, as well as movement, enhancing cognition, mental acuity, self-expression, and personal connection.

  •  Sharing: Sessions culminate with sharing the work created, connecting participants to each other, and enhancing emotional well-being and confidence.

A series of sessions often culminate in a public showing of performance works created and performed by the participants.

 
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boogie down

Social dances, such as waltz, salsa, tango, cha cha, rumba, hustle and swing are taught in a line dance format. We discovered this approach while working with seniors at the Chinatown Y in Manhattan. Most participants were female and the idea of determining who was the leader and follower, felt unequal. This led us to practice all the dances as line dances.

 A brief warm up is given to active the body, work on balance, weight shifts and changing directions, all skills required for these dances. Several weeks are devoted to one style and the seniors help guide the dances taught, based upon their interests.

This program is appropriate for a more agile and active senior population.