for Healthcare Partners

hearth - integrating arts into health

We collaborate with community hospitals to research and explore ways of integrating dance and

movement into social prescribing models to support healthcare and well being initiatives. With the help of a dance movement psychotherapist, we design community dance programmes to connect diverse groups to affordable and accessible dance classes in partnership with local healthcare providers.

                                         


Evidence-based dance programmes have been shown to improve the functional health of participants and also lead to sustained improvement to psychosocial states. Studies have found that:

• Dance promotes movement and physical activity for older patients. It is a meaningful and enjoyable activity, which encourages social interaction, enliven spaces and provides respite from the medical environment.

  
  

• 92% of children and young people experiencing acute pain following orthopaedic or cardiac surgery, or post-acquired brain injury experienced a reduction in pain, with 80% experiencing a >50% reduction through improvised somatic dance (ISD) on 25 participants.