DanceYOURWay ~ Dancing the Differences Between Us

DanceYOURWay’s Purpose:

DanceYOURWay is a dance class and therapeutic movement experience for adults with developmental delays. The class is formed by member artists at a local cultural arts center. It is designed to empower each member artist to define their capacity for personal growth and to have choices about how they connect with themselves and others. In the DanceYOURWay classes, dancers utilize their bodies to begin embodying their newfound empowerment while stretching, strengthening, and choreographing!

DanceYOURWay addresses:

• Whole Self: psychosocial equation
• Social Self: inter/intrapersonal skills
• Emotional Self: sense of well-being
• Mental Self: development of self-concept
• Physical Self: physical and cognitive abilities
• Spiritual Self: connection to spirit

DanceYOURWay Design:

DanceYOURWay begins each class with full body warm-up, isolating, stretching and strengthening the body while the therapist assesses the therapeutic needs of both the individuals in the group, as well as the group at large. Using music, props, and lightness to engage group members, a safe and supportive atmosphere is created in which therapeutic goals can be achieved. Group members continue to warm-up with dance technique exercises targeted to expand individual movement repertoires as well as to prime the group members for choreography. Finally, group member have an opportunity to create and rehearse choreography both individually and as a group.

Some therapeutic goals might be:

• Encourage physical expression to improve body awareness
• Provide dance techniques to expand choices and improve quality of life
• Offer performance opportunities to build self-esteem through sense of accomplishment
• Use of a community setting to facilitate communication and sharing
• Emphasize social interaction and emotional expression for support
• Promote integration of daily experiences to increase joy of living

DanceYOURWay incorporates Dance Techniques, Choreographed movement sequences, Group Rituals and improvisational movement
to achieve therapeutic goals once identified.

Unique Benefits of DanceYOURWay:

DanceYOURWay gives adults with developmental delays an opportunity to create art with their whole bodies. Participants gain vital skills that improve their ability to cope with a wide variety of circumstances.

DanceYOURWay participants may gain:

• Body Boundaries
• Cognitive organization
• Body awareness
• Balance and coordination
• Spatial Orientation
• Improved states of awareness and relaxation
• Strong Interpersonal Skills
• Freedom of emotional expression
• Sense of self-worth and renewed integrity
• New methods of communication
• JOY and VITALITY

DanceYOURWay moves appropriately and therapeutically through these unique aesthetic and creative processes to stimulate interest in wellness and in making connections with others.

DanceYOURWay students learn how to not only flex their physical muscles, but also their emotional, mental and spiritual muscles as well!

The American Dance Therapy Association writes:

Working directly on a body level, the dance/movement therapist helps individuals mobilize their physical and emotional resources to express feelings and to promote self esteem, physical skills, confidence, and independence.

DanceYOURWay services:

• Therapeutic movement groups
• Individual therapy sessions
              -Therapeutic movement
              -Expressive arts
• DanceWise Workshops for Staff
• Expressive Arts Groups
• Support Groups for Families and/or Staff
              -Caregivers
              -Loss, Grief, and Bereavement Issues
  

Read about the DanceYOURWay Creator