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Biographies of contributors
- Diane Amans - Dance artist, choreographer,
training consultant, author [Web
site]
Diane Amans is a community dance artist and director of Freedom
in Dance, based in Stockport. Freedom in Dance offers dance to people
in sheltered housing complexes, day-care centres, and hospitals, and
also to mature movers in the community. With over thirty years experience
in dance, Diane mainly specialises in working with older people and
intergenerational groups, and her approach is ‘person-centred
and failure-free.’ This breakout group discussed how to work with
older people in dance and some of the challenges posed by this group.
See her full CV.
- Francis Angol [Web
site]
Francis Angol is the Artistic Director of Movement
Angol Dance Company, and is a dancer / performer, choreographer
and somatics movement educator with over 22 years experience in the
field of dance and the performing arts. A former fellowship artist of
the Arts Council of England, Francis has, over the years, developed
work that has contributed to the enrichment of British dance culture
and the lives of many individuals.
A graduate of the University of Central Lancashire with an MA in
Dance & Somatics Wellbeing, he pulls together his knowledge and
experience of the expressive body to offer individuals a life enhancing
opportunity to bring about a more conscious awareness of the self,
so as to explore personal pathways into the body for a life changing
experience to reclaim a sense of wholeness and balance from within.
- Ken Bartlett - Director, Foundation
for Community Dance
Ken leads the CDF’s
artistic policies, and the development of programmes of work of strategic
importance nationally and internationally, particularly those that support
intercultural dialogue, diversity, and disabled people. Ken is an advocate
for access to, participation in and progression through dance, and is
responsible for our senior-level policy relationships. A regular contributor
to conferences and publications, Ken also commissions our own magazine,
Animated. A former Teacher and School Inspector for the arts, Ken was,
before joining the Foundation for Community Dance in 1995, Head of Arts
and Cultural Services for Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council starting
the process of developing the New Art Gallery. Ken is a Board member
of Yorkshire Dance, and has previously taught and lectured in the USA,
Australia, Latin America and Europe.
- Sue Benson
Sue Benson is editor of the Journal
of Dementia Care.
- Maxine Brown
Maxine Brown began her dance career in 1981; she is a founder member
of Delado African Drum and Dance Ensemble. During this time she trained
with Daniel Laryea and Yoa Severgie as well as Jackie Guy, Mapopa Mtonga
and Peter Badejo. As well as dancing in the company Maxine developed
her workshop skills and took the work out to community spaces and schools
Maxine has continued her professional development increasing her
skills and knowledge in African Caribbean dance and arts by attending
courses and master classes nationally and internationally with many
of the leading teachers of African Caribbean dance and other forms.
Maxine currently works part time for Merseyside Dance Initiative,(MDI)
a the African Peoples Dance (APD) Community Artist. She also continues
her work as a freelance artist nationally and internationally. Maxine
has recently completed an MA Degree in Dance and Somatic Well-being
at UCLAN Preston
This course has given her an even deeper understanding of the link
between body and mind in movement practice which links directly to
her work in dance health and wellbeing at MDI.
Maxine has worked with a wide range of age groups and has extensive
experience with Early Years, Children and Young People and Elders.
She currently leads MDI’s work at Alder Hey Hospital and in
the Caribbean Centre, aimed at adults with mental health issues as
well at the work at Aintree Hospital for those suffering from blood
disorders and at Hector Peterson Close for elders in the community.
She recently won an award from the Merseyside Black History Month
Group as Female Achiever for her involvement and contribution in African
Caribbean dance and arts.
- Jagjit Chuhan
Jagjit Chuhan is an artist and Professor of International Art at Liverpool
John Moores University. Exhibitions of her paintings have been staged
in Europe, Asia and UK venues including Tate Liverpool; Barbican Centre,
London; Arnolfini, Bristol and Ikon, Birmingham. Solo exhibitions include
A long way from home, The Lowry, Salford (2002-03); Parampara Portraits
(2004-5) tour including to Watermans Arts Centre, London; Journeys,
Cartwright Hall, Bradford (2005) and The Body Inside at New Hall, University
of Cambridge (2007). Her paintings are held in collections including
the Arts Council Collection, University of Liverpool Art Collection,
Usher Gallery in Lincoln, Cartwright Hall in Bradford.
- Julia Clark C. Psychol.,
M. App. Sci., PhD
Dr. Clark worked as a post doctoral neuroscience researcher prior to
training as a clinical psychologist and then specialising in neuropsychology.
She has experience of working in Acute Hospitals and Rehabilitation
Units as well as in the community. At present she works as part of the
West Dunbartonshire Acquired Brain Injury Team but maintains her academic
links by lecturing on the Clinical Psychology Doctorate Course at the
University of Glasgow.
She is passionate about ensuring that information from her specialty
of neuropsychological rehabilitation reaches those people it can help
the most. As part of this initiative she has for the past three years
been developing and delivering community based Brain Injury Awareness
Training Courses for patients, family members, carers and professionals.
She sits on the Board of Directors of the Scottish Huntingdon’s
Association and has been elected to the Public Engagement Committee
of the Society for Endocrinology.
- Dr Richard Coaten [Web
site]
Dr Richard Coaten is a dance movement psychotherapist employed
by the Southwest Yorkshire NHS Partnership Trust to run this service.
He has much experience and has submitted a doctoral thesis to Roehampton
University on the importance of dance movement psychotherapy in the
care of people living with dementia and those who care for them.
Richard helps ensure the provision of onsite, group and one-to-one
based sessions. Sessions involve a variety of activities including
listening and moving to music, singing, dancing and reminiscing. They
take place in a supportive atmosphere with full appreciation of remaining
individual abilities.
Evidence from an audit indicates significant benefits in social interaction,
supporting/increasing mobility, and in supporting long-term memory,
communication skills and remaining capacities.
See also Richard's video Going
by way of the body in dementia care.
- Katy Dymoke
Katy Dymoke is a Dance Movement Psychotherapist working in the NHS in
Oldham as a touch based specialist and has worked in Dementia wards,
Mental Health, and secure units. Katy delivered an NVQ3 training for
dancers and nurses in her techniques. She is a certified teacher and
practitioner in Body-Mind Centering® from Manchester. Katy has presented
at conferences, been a guest lecturer and has published her writing
on touch based working methodology and integrated dance. With funding
from the NHS Katy is doing a PHD on the impact of touch in Movement
Psychotherapy at Liverpool John Moores University. Katy established
the Body-Mind Centering® certification programs in the UK as she
believes in the innate intelligence of the body and the joy it brings.
As a professional dancer and artistic director of Touchdown Dance Katy
creates dance theatre and film. Touchdown Dance is unique for integrating
blind and sighted dancers in a professional touring and workshop company.
Collaborating with musicians, actors and dancers for 25 years, she has
been an advocate for integrated arts practise. A lover of the outdoors
and physical activity she has a 3rd Dan in Jujitsu
- Fergus Early [Web
site]
The founder and Artistic Director of Green
Candle Dance, one of the country’s leading exponents of dance
in community and education, was awarded an OBE for services to dance
in the New Year Honours List. He said: ‘It is wonderful to be
recognised for work that is often underrated and invisible. I feel this
is an award for the whole of the independent dance sector and in particular
the area known as community dance. I have always contended that everyone
has a right to enjoy dance, whether by participating in it or watching
it and maybe this award is a small milestone towards making that a reality.’
- Joy & Eric Foxley [Web
site]
Joy Foxley has spent many years teaching, and her interest in dance
and song from English-speaking countries and India makes her uniquely
qualified to be an animateur in this area. Her interest in English dance
and song is represented in the web sites for the Greenwood
Step Clog Dancers and the Freds
Folks Ceilidh Band. She and her husband Eric visit schools for sessions
of singing or dancing. She first learnt Kathak-style Indian dance in
Leicester under Nilima Devi at CICD, and then spent long periods in
India, first under Janaki Damle at Baroda, then under Kumudini Lakhia
at Kadamb in Ahmedabad. She uses stories and dance in schools and with
community groups. Details can be found on her website
of her "Chota Hathi" story as taught in both English
and German
schools (music by Atul Desai in Ahmedabad), and of the "Hafiz
the Stonecutter" story book made by one group of school children.
She has worked with Chaturangan on dance for older people.
Eric Foxley has
been involved in British folk dance, song and music since 1950. He worked
on committees of the English
Folk Dance and Song Society, and produced a document for them of
advice
to musicians playing for dancing. He has organised many dance
and music tours in France, not attending festivals but contacting
individual towns and villages and running social events and workshops
as well as shows. A popular dance called "Mrs Foxley's Fancy"
was composed in honour of his mother. He has travelled extensively with
work in China, India, South-East Asia, Africa, Europe and America, and
always looks for music and dance opportunities wherever he is. For ten
years now he has been happily retired with not a minute to spare, mountain
biking, hill walking, running a pottery, managing web sites for a modest
fee, and running the Foresters
Morris Men, the Greenwood
Step Clog Dancers and Freds
Folks Ceilidh Band.
- Alicia Sofia Garfias
Alicia Sofia Garfias is a final year student in the Dance Movement Psychotherapy
(DMP) training programme at Goldsmiths College, London University. She
currently submitted her thesis for consideration. Alicia’s experience
as a trainee DMP with a group of older persons over 65 diagnosed with
dementia has shaped and influenced her practice. As part of her training,
she has been involved in DMP work with children in a mainstream primary
school, and also with Latin American women. From a Communications background,
Alicia has a BA in Communication Sciences and a specialty in Audio-Visual
Production from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education.
She has performed on stage as part of the CENCREM
opera academy in Mexico, her home country and later received a scholarship
from CONACULTA for private tango lessons in Buenos Aires with M. Bernadaz
and V. Gardela, former ‘Forever Tango’ performers. Her experience
in dance and movement is rich as she brings together elements from bel
canto, yoga, martial arts, contemporary dance, ballet and World dances.
She was awarded the Ebb & Flow Bursary from Goldsmiths College,
London University in 2009.
- GODS - Growing Older (Dis)gracefully
Who we are
Growing Older (Dis)Gracefully is an amateur group of older adults
(45-80) who love to dance. Some have been involved in dance for longer
than they care to remember, some have not danced since their childhood
and for others it has been a totally new experience. What we all share
is a passion for the camaraderie that comes from creating and performing
dance.
What we do
We show how it’s done! We have performed at different events
and venues across Liverpool including the Empire, BlackE, Metropolitan
Cathedral and Williamson Square in the rain! We also travel further
afield to places like Birmingham and Devon, and in August this year
to the Gloucester Water Park for a National PE conference. Wherever
we are invited we love to put on our dancing shoes and have fun.
What it does for us
Whilst the dancing has brought us together, it is the growing friendships
that keep us together. The motivation and support that the group provides
has been therapeutic for us all at one time or another. The obvious
benefits of being active speak for themselves. Being part of Growing
Older (Dis)Gracefully gives us all a great sense of wellbeing and
achievement, probably the reason why we are still going strong after
11 years!.
- Azucena Guzman
- Institute for Ageing and Health, University of Newcastle [Web
site]
Azucena Guzman is a Doctoral student at the Institute for Ageing &
Health, Newcastle University, UK. Her background is in Neuropsychology
and Rehabilitation. Azucena has been involved in Latin Ballroom dance
since 1986, and has studied dance and older people with dementia since
2005. You can obtain references, publications and Danzón music
from her by emailing her.
- Julie Hannah
Julie has
worked in the NHS for over 20 years as an occupational therapist, counsellor
and manager. Her work has been predominantly in specialised mental health
services. In 2004 she began a secondment with the Liverpool Culture
Company as creative health and well being manager. This period has been
a period of personal and professional growth for Julie who has gained
much from being in an environment which brings health workers and creative
and artistic partners together with different perspectives and experiences
yet with shared goals.
- Dr Jill Hayes Sr Reg DMT
[Web
site]
Jill is a senior lecturer at the University of Chichester.
She is an active researcher and writer in the field of Arts Therapies.
Her PhD research investigates the contribution of dance movement therapy
to choreographic and performance education focusing on three cohorts
of Chichester students following a Dance Movement Therapy module. Jill
is a qualified, experienced dance movement therapist and has published
journal articles and conference papers focusing on her research.
Gill leads the MA Experiencing the Arts Therapies Plus: Embodying
Personal Myth module.
See her full CV.
- Cynthia Heymanson BA
CSS DMS
Cynthia Heymanson BA, CSS, DMS - has worked in a range of older peoples’
services since 1983 including Home Care, Care Homes, and Social Work
Assessment Team. She has worked for East Sussex County Council, The
Relatives & Residents Association, and as Dementia Development Worker
for the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea. She has worked as
an independent trainer (subjects include User Involvement and Dementia)
in Care Homes, and for Brighton & Hove City Council. Currently she
provides dementia training, is involved with Glyndebourne Opera Education
in their annual Dementia Project and runs Circle Dance sessions in Sussex
for the Alzheimer’s Society and Care Homes.
- David Howe
David Howe, Drama and Movement therapist, presents a short talk on the
benefits of using
film in therapy as an aid to remembering and personal change in the
everyday .
- Teresa Jankowska
- Kath Kershaw [Web
site]
Kath Kershaw has several years experience in both leading and training
staff in circle dance and creative writing for people with dementia.
She worked in the NHS for over twenty years - including some years as
an Occupational Therapy Instructor and Arts Facilitator in therapy services.
She was responsible for her own client caseload in each area of work
– learning disability, mental health and dementia. Kath qualified
as an adult teacher in education (City & Guilds) and published a
book about thoughts and feelings of people with dementia ‘Hiding
because I didn’t like porridge’. She was initially responsible
for setting up of the three circle dance groups currently running in
Barnsley, and provides support and training when required. She currently
runs therapeutic activities in Care Home and Day Service locations.
- John Killick [Web
site]
See Dementia
Positive, the Web site of John Killick (poet and writer) and Kate
Allan (psychologist and researcher) presenting their UK-based work with
people who have dementia.
- Vina Ladwa
Vina Ladwa born in East Africa is trained in Kathak dance –
one of the classical styles of dance from North India. Vina is also
a founder of Manushi Dance Company (1996) and was short listed for Asian
Womens Achivement Award (AWAA) 2005. Company trains dancers to a higher
level to perform nationally and internationally. See
full CV here.
Vina is an experienced teacher delivers dance workshops, movement
therapy and storytelling with all ages i.e. education sectors, elderly
groups, mental health, antenatal groups, women’s institutes
and people with learning difficulties. Has also given performances
and lecture demonstrations to events and arts organizations i.e. Caux
in Switzerland an international conference center for Initiatives
of Change, in prinsons, Blue Peter (BBC TV), Children in Need, .AWAA
attended by Prince Charles and Chamilla.
- Yael Loewenstein [Web
site]
Yael Loewenstein works as a choreographer and body-work practitioner.
Guided by the belief that the skills and sensibilities the choreographic
craft fosters are highly transferable, Yael works in a variety of realms
including theatre, dance, opera and motion capture for video games and
education.
Over the past number of years, Yael has complimented her choreographic
practice with her teaching practice. She has developed classes for
people of all ages, backgrounds and experience. The majority of Yael’s
teaching work takes place with people 60+ in care homes and drop in
centres with organisations such as EMAG (Ethnic Minorities Advocacy
Group), Age Concern, Sanctuary Housing, Excelcare, London Borough
of Richmond and Tower Hamlets, Primary Care Trusts amongst others.
Yael is also a Falls Prevention Practitioner. Her work integrates
both choreographic/dance and falls prevention material and her classes
cater for mixed abilities and health conditions.
In 2009, Yael was commissioned to make a film about her work with
elders by Chisenhale Dance Space for their Homelands Dance Festival.
She created a project entitled Voices of Change, which after receiving
further funding in 2010 is being currently being developed with an
increased amount of participants in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
Overall, Yael’s work - no matter the genre, aims to delight
in collaboration, enhance the individual’s sense of physical
awareness and self-esteem as well as foster a vital sense of community.
- Sissy Lykou
Sissy is a registered member (RDMP) of the Association for Dance Movement
Psychotherapy in the UK since 2008. She is a scholar of the Centre for
Psychoanalytic Studies-University of Essex for the PhD entitled “Dance
Movement Psychotherapy sessions with second-generation immigrant children
in primary schools; cultural transmission and its effect on the cultural
unconscious. Biculturalism or marginality?”. She also has an MA
in Dance Movement Psychotherapy (Goldsmiths) and BSc (Hons) in Psychology
(Panteion University, Athens). Sissy has worked as a psychologist, therapeutic
riding instructor, dance movement psychotherapist, movement practitioner
and dancer. After finishing her studies in psychology and dance in Athens,
she moved to London for her MA degree. Sissy’s training and experience
include work and studies in Athens, London and Munich. She has specialised
in children and adults with learning difficulties.
- François
Matarasso
François
Matarasso is a researcher and consultant with 25 years’ experience
in community-based arts activity. He currently leads a Culture East
Midlands/EMDA programme on culture in rural development, based in
Nottingham. He specialises in practice-led research, especially on
the impact of culture. He has been commissioned by partners in over
25 countries and his work has been widely published and translated.
He is Chair of Arts Council East Midlands.
- Clive
Parkinson
Clive Parkinson is the Director of Arts for Health at Manchester Metropolitan
University; the UK’s longest established arts and health unit.
He was project lead on the HM Treasury funded; Invest to Save: Arts
in Health Project and is a passionate advocate for culture and the arts.
In 2009 he was awarded an Enterprise Curriculum Fellowship.
Through facilitated networking, practical support, training on the
ground and high level political lobbying, he has succeeded in gaining
strategic support and a greater understanding of the potency of the
arts in the UK.
- Marina
Rova MA RDMP BA Hons RAD RTS - Dance
Movement Psychotherapist, Dance Practitioner
Greek born Marina Rova has been living and working in London since 2002.
She was classically trained with the Royal Academy of Dance to an advanced
level and was awarded a RAD Teaching Certificate with Distinction in
2002. Marina also holds a (first class) BA Hons Dance degree from Roehampton
University (2005). In 2007 she was awarded a (first class) Post-Graduate
Diploma in Dance Movement Psychotherapy which led to her Masters thesis
(awarded with Distinction in 2009) 'Towards a Phenomenology of Embodiment
within Dance Movement Psychotherapy'. Marina worked as a teacher of
dance in various educational settings in Athens and London over a period
of ten years. She then begun her psychotherapeutic practice in educational,
community and mental health settings facilitating a range of populations
and age groups. Marina currently works as a Mental Health practitioner
in a Continuing Care Unit for Dementia and as an Arts Psychotherapist
in acute psychiatry within the NHS. She is also a Certified Dementia
Care Mapper trained by Bradford University and the Bradford Dementia
Group. Marina has participated in various independent performance productions
in London as a performer and choreographer. De Mentis is her debut research
performance work and independent production to be presented both nationally
and internationally.
Marina is the Artistic Director for De
Mentis: Silent Stories I, II and III, a research performance project
on the lived experience of Dementia in collaboration with London-based
artists and therapists. Further to her academic and professional career
Marina is a keen traveller, photographer, dance film-maker and creative
writer. In 2010 Marina completed a London School of Journalism travel
writing course and joined the Live-Zakynthos creative team. Marina continues
to be curious about site-specific improvisation, a sample of which she
has filmed as part of her Body Diary series. See also the Livedbody-Embodiedlife
Web site.
- Bisakha
Sarker
Bisakha Sarker is a leading practitioner of Indian creative dance. She
has worked as a performer, choreographer, researcher, educationalist,
critic, writer and video maker. Bisakha was born in India .She received
her masters degree in Statistics from the University of Calcutta. After
coming to the UK she adopted Liverpool as her home. She works all over
the country in a wide range of situations. Her innovative work, much
of it with disabled people, has challenged traditional cultural boundaries.
Her rich spiritual creativity inspires others to translate their experiences
and emotions into the shapes and rhythms of dance. Bisakha hands over
the ownership of the dance to all those with whom she works, empowering
them in a unique way. Both her performance and participatory work is
informed by eastern spirituality. Bisakha Sarker is currently the director
of Chaturangan, an agency based in Liverpool working to raise the profile
of South Asian dance, culture and spirituality both locally and nationally.
- Naama Spitzer
Naama is a post graduate research student at Coventry University, studying
dance improvisation as her subject area. She has been working as a teacher
and assessor in community dance for the last 12 years. Recently she
has been involved in Dance4Health projects with older people in the
West Midlands and was the researcher on the Dance Connections project.
- Miranda
Tufnell
For the last thirty years Miranda has been pursuing a profound interest
in the body, both as a dancer, making performances, and as an Alexander
teacher and cranio-sacral therapist (both independently and within the
NHS). Her work has followed a passion to listen more deeply to the body's
subtleties of movement, and to explore the human need to find a language
for what is beneath our words. Miranda runs "Body
and Imagination".
Miranda Tufnell is a dance artist, body therapist and co author with
Chris Crickmay of Body Space Image and Widening Field, both handbooks
for working with the body and the creative process. She has also worked
for 14 years within the NHS and recently compiled a handbook for dancers
working in health for the Foundation for Community Dance
- Dr
Sarah Whatley
Sarah Whatley is Professor of Dance and Director of Research,
ICELab, at Coventry University. She is a writer and artist; and her
research specialises in dance analysis, the interface between dance
and digital technologies, and dance and disability. She led the AHRC-funded
Siobhan Davies archive project; Siobhan Davies Replay, and is now working
on the AHRC-funded Digital Dance Archives project with the University
of Surrey, and leads the JISC-funded D-TRACES project to embed Siobhan
Davies Replay within the BA dance curriculum. Amongst her other research
projects she is a member of the AHRC-funded Screendance Network and
is international associate for a pan-European research cluster, Inside
Movement Knowledge. She edits the international Journal of Dance and
Somatic Practices and is on the Editorial Board of the International
Journal of Screendance.
- Chris Davies
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Paintings by
Noelle Williamson
of Bisakha Sarker and Diane Amans rehearsing their piece for this
conference.
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