A development initiative for South Asian Dance in the North West

Andreah Barker's comments

On July 10th 2013, Bisakha Sarker joined the Baycrest community to provide two workshops and participate in a panel discussion on dance and the older adult. Her first workshop was held in the Psychiatric Day Hospital for Depression. There were eleven clients and three staff members, including two nurses, in attendance. As the session progressed, I witnessed clients becoming more fully engaged in the moment. Later they reported that they had enjoyed experiencing something new.

Our afternoon group was attended by Bianca Stern, director of Culture, Arts & Innovation at Baycrest as well as a dance researcher, social worker, Baycrest volunteer, and a summer student. The session proved to be a wonderful experience for all who attended. I can personally report that I felt far more relaxed and grateful for having had the opportunity to participate.

The afternoon panel discussion was attended by approximately twenty members of the local dance as well as healthcare communities. Some of the participants included Claire Wooten, the chair of the dance program at York University and Sarah Robichaud, founder of Dancing with Parkinson’s. We spent an hour sharing our work and discussing the importance of dance, in its many forms, with the older adult population.

I feel that many people were able to benefit from Bisakha’s visit. Her presence, knowledge, and experience made for a very inspiring day.