Yorkshire Dance launches three new dance classes for over-55s in Belle Isle, Holbeck & Holt Park.
Everyone aged 55 and over is invited to join one of three free dance classes being launched in Leeds.
Yorkshire Dance, the dance development organisation for the Yorkshire region, is adding to its already impressive range of activities for older adults with new classes in Holbeck and Belle Isle.
Holbeck, St Matthew’s Community Centre, St Matthew’s Street
Tuesdays and Fridays, 1.30–3pm
Belle Isle, St John & St Barnabas Church, Belle Isle Road
Wednesdays and Fridays, 10.30am–12pm
(starts Wednesday 14 February 2018)
These new Dancing in Time classes are funded by Public Health and co-created in partnership with University of Leeds and Leeds Community Health Care, and are part of an ongoing study into the impact of dance on the health and wellbeing of older adults.
Each class will run for ten weeks, with participants attending twice each week. They are designed to be gentle, lots of fun and very good for people’s health. Participants don’t need to have any previous experience of dance, and Yorkshire Dance is keen to stress that it welcomes people of every shape and size.
The classes are particularly suitable for people who are recovering from a fall, or who are concerned that they might experience a fall, and will give participants new confidence and stability.
Yorkshire Dance has been working with researchers from Sport and Exercise Sciences at University of Leeds’, Public Health Leeds City Council and with Leeds Community Health Care since 2013, studying the impact of dance on the health and wellbeing of older adults, and a research paper was published by University of Leeds in June 2016.
The new Dancing in Time classes will allow the researchers to develop their existing research and add a wealth of new data to their studies.
Adie Nivison, Project Manager at Yorkshire Dance, says,
“We have been working with the local neighbourhood networks to promote, publicise and advise us on the Dancing in Time project. Yorkshire Dance value the expertise and knowledge they have of the local community and what works best for older people in their area. Sonny and all the team at Belle Isle Winter Aid have been so supportive and helpful, encouraging people to come along, get active and have some fun!”
Sonny Garewal, Project Manager of Belle Isle Elderly Winter Aid, says,
“We are looking forward to working with Yorkshire Dance, to enhance the lives of the older people we serve. I hope the project will give them some positive outcomes, such as improved self-confidence, flexibility and balance, and an increased sense of Health and Wellbeing, as well as the opportunity to creatively express themselves.”
Richard Porter, Health Improvement Specialist at Leeds City Council, says,
“It’s an exciting time for the partnership because we’re striving to Make Leeds the Best City to Grow Old In, and one way we can to do this is by simply getting ‘active’. The number of people who are active drops from the age of 55 above. Although it’s feasible dance is a great way to become active and benefit from reducing risk or managing existing health conditions. All it requires is having the opportunity to participate, so give it ago and get involved.”
Sarah Astill, Lecturer in Motor Control at University of Leeds, adds,
“The research project we’re working on aims to find out how dancing can help older people in Leeds stay active, and whether it helps improve balance, mood and self esteem, and ultimately enable older adults to enjoy better health and overall wellbeing. So far our study with other Dancing in Time groups in the city has proved very worthwhile so we’re looking to generate more data. Being part of the research is totally voluntary, you can still attend the classes without taking part in the research if you don’t want to.”
Places in the Dancing in Time classes are free, and there’s no need to book in advance. If you’d like to know more about the classes, please contact Adie Nivison at Yorkshire Dance on (0113) 243 9867 or adienivison@yorkshiredance.com
Why are these classes always during the day? 55 year olds are still at work till the age of 66 if you were born anytime after 1953 or even 70!