SENIOR citizens enjoy toe tapping, hand waving and laughter at regular dance sessions at Waminda Care Facility in Bentley.
International Dance Day on April 29 will see more than a dozen residents take part in regular ‘SitDance’ sessions where seniors in their 90s – and even those who have reached their centenary – dance to their hearts content while remaining seated.
The initiative has been spearheaded by professional dance teacher, choreographer and art educator, Netherlands-born Marcel Baaijens, who designed a program to bring the pleasure of dancing to seniors in nursing homes, regardless of their mobility.
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READ NOWSwanCare diversional therapy co-ordinator at Waminda Annemarie Kluvers said residents had fond memories of dancing several times a week when they were young, and SwanCare was keen to offer them this simple pleasure again.
“With the SitDance program, our seniors can once again experience the joy of dancing, albeit in a modified way, and it’s obvious how this simple pleasure can stimulate their memory, energise them and change their mood,” she said.
Founded in 1982, International Dance Day seeks to promote the art of dance around the world.
The special day is all about the history of dance and the recognition of its place in society.
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