Boldon Intergenerational Dance Project

SPRING 2010 INTERGENERATIONAL DANCE PROJECT -  CUSTOMS HOUSE, SOUTH TYNESIDE

I was reminded yesterday about this inspiring movement and music based project I did with a group of up to 20 Elders from Boldon Day Centre (with a wide range of ages and abilities aged 70- 95) and a group of students from Boldon School. Implicitly this project was to do with communication, meaning and understanding.

The movement took place not only in the body but also in the minds and attitudes of the participants, challenging views of youth and age and finding a way of being together that emphasised commonality. The dance and movement activities engendered( literally and metaphorically )open heartedness and a sense of well being.

This communal positive “feeling state” is what I believe helped everyone talk and share stories and laughter. The art of moving elicited the open responses and was at the very heart of the project.

It is often easy to overlook the impact of the actual art form (dance) because it is so integral and produces such a big dynamic social effect. The movement conversations, speaking through the body, the power of touch , the simplicity of holding hands or breathing as a whole group held us all and gave us a common language that was at the very heart of the project.