Scottish Ballet Launches as a National Centre for Dance Health

Scottish Ballet launches as a National Centre for Dance Health having delivered pioneering work in this field since 2013, benefitting over 400,000 people.

Article Source: Scottish Ballet
Last Updated: 19 January 2023 12:12

Dance health can be defined as providing holistic, evidence-based movement activities that help to manage the physical, mental and social wellbeing of those taking part. To develop and evaluate their dance health practice, Scottish Ballet has worked closely with health and care professionals from Scotland to embody the principles of the Scottish Government’s Realistic Medicine approach, which provides a clear, forward-looking vision to deliver value-based health and care that is rooted in careful and kind personalised care.

Scottish Ballet’s SB Health initiative is made up of pioneering multigenerational dance programmes that offer creative experiences to improve the health of those involved, including:

SB Health classes for people living with neurological conditions
Central to Scottish Ballet’s contribution within this field is their SB Health strand that includes three programmes for people living with neurological conditions; Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland (DfPS), dementia friendly dance project Time to Dance®, and SB Elevate® for people living with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Each of these classes are created and delivered by an award-winning dance health team that is made up of dance education professionals, who have become trained specialists within this area. Booking for this term’s classes is open. The term runs from 30 January - 27 March, to coincide with pre-recorded resources for those unable to access classes in person.

Social Prescribing for SB Health Classes
In line with Scottish Government’s Realistic Medicine approach which acknowledges there are many circumstances where a non-medical intervention may deliver better outcomes with less risk, Scottish Ballet is proud to be partnering with the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) to explore pathways that seek to place these programmes into mainstream health and social care settings.

The two-year funded project aims to establish opportunities for these programmes to be socially prescribed as referrals so that people living with neurological conditions can self manage their symptoms, furthering evidence towards the benefits of person-centred care.

A feature aspect of the project is the creation of a Scottish Ballet Health Partnerships Manager role. This position is a first within Scotland as the company continues to bridge the contribution of arts and health to support cultural change within health and social care.

Health at Hand® movement resources for health and social care professionals
Scottish Ballet’s work within the healthcare system is exemplified through the creation of Health at Hand® - a programme of on-demand movement-based resources for health and social care professionals that was founded during the pandemic.

Created in collaboration with NHS Scotland and Scottish Government, these preventative sessions continue to be rolled out to empower participants to manage stress through movement; alleviating areas of physical and mental stress on those working in the NHS and social care services.

New project called Emerge, for people living with long Covid
Whilst areas of society emerge from the pandemic, long Covid continues to impact the lives of over 150,000 people in Scotland.

To help with the impact that long Covid has on the body, Scottish Ballet has collaborated with people living with long Covid, alongside health and care professionals in Scotland and medical professionals from the Royal College of General Practitioners, to develop Emerge; a new programme of live and digital movement resources that aim to build confidence and resilience by focusing on alignment, mobility, posture and breath.

BSL Resources for people with access requirements
Following a period of consultation, training and development during its creation, Scottish Ballet launches a new British Sign Language (BSL) resource as part of its SB Duet project through integrated work with Deaf performer Amy Murray.

SB Duet is a package of interactive digital dance films for people with reduced mobility to enjoy at home, in care homes and in hospitals, or to share with their companions or carers.

This new BSL resource further promotes Scottish Ballet’s commitment to provide dance for everyone, contributing to the company’s work of providing experiences for people with access requirements through Audio Description, Inclusive Performances and Touch Tours.

Safe to Be Me® to be rolled out into secondary schools
Following the success of delivering Safe to Be Me® in primary schools, Scottish Ballet is proud to be delivering the project in secondary schools from February 2023.

Having connected with over 10,000 young people across Scotland, Safe to Be Me® is a project that uses dance to encourage young people to explore identity, acceptance and respect by introducing them to topics such as ableism, homophobia, racism and transphobia.

This innovative programme uses dance to introduce young people to core project themes, working creatively with them and experienced dance practitioners to develop movement skills and encourage self-expression through the exploration of areas including culture and ethnicity, family makeup, LGBTQ+ identities and disability.

First time ballet experiences for young adults who face adversity
Alongside Safe to Be Me®, Scottish Ballet connects with young people through their project called The Close that provides a first time ballet experience for young adults who have faced adversity during childhood.

Delivered with specialist partners including Kibble, this vital education project provides at-risk young people with new and enriching cultural experiences.
Through artistic projects inspired by contemporary themes based on Scottish Ballet's productions, individuals are supported to explore their creativity, self-expression and develop teamwork skills.

Connecting with communities through partnerships
Scottish Ballet is passionate about connecting with people from all backgrounds, and is committed to addressing barriers, challenging discrimination and providing experiences for people from underrepresented backgrounds.

The company works with organisations to promote creative collaboration and intercultural dialogue across the SB Health initiative. This year, for example, SB Health will continue to develop projects with Wing Hong Chinese Elderly Centre and The Dixon Community through their dementia-friendly Time to Dance® programme.

The company values connections with a range of external partners across arts, health and the third sector who have helped to develop, expand and shape the programmes and research, including:
Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Health & Social Care Alliance Scotland, Intercultural Youth Scotland, NHS, Mark Morris Dance, MS Society Scotland, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Strathclyde University and the University of Florida.

CEO/Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet, Christopher Hampson, said: “At Scottish Ballet, we believe that dance can be for everyone. As an organisation, we are dedicated to using and sharing our skill, expertise and passion to bring the benefits of movement to people of all ages and backgrounds.

The work of the SB Health team centres the company’s commitment to inspiring on stage and beyond, connecting with communities locally, nationally and internationally to promote the physical and mental benefits of movement for all.”

To find out more about Scottish Ballet and SB Health visit: www.scottishballet.co.uk

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