Publication: THE CHANCE TO DANCE
Loading...
Date
2024-04-18
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type
Poster
Abstract
Adaptive dance is a movement in the dance community aimed at supporting the disabled community on their journey toward mental and physical wellness through leisure. Dance can benefit motor, social, cognitive, and emotional skills for those who participate (Hughes, 2020). Occupational therapists work with individuals of all ages in engaging in all areas of occupation including play, leisure, and social participation. Through dance, our bodies engage in physical activities that improve our motor, social, cognitive, and emotional skills. Barriers to inclusion has been outlined in the literature and include geographical and financial barriers, paired with a lack of classes that accommodate the sensory needs of potential participants (Illef et al., 2022; Shields & Synnot, 2016). Inclusion in rural areas is particularly limited.
The Chance to Dance is a phenomonoligical qualitative study that sought to understand the benefits and barriers to participation in adaptive dance for children and young adults with mental or physical disabilities. The researchers aimed to (1) understand how adaptive dance programs socially and leisurely benefit children and young adults with disabilities, (2) assess how an adaptive dance program accommodates the sensory/physical needs of disabled individuals, (3) assess how an adaptive program allows disabled dancers to establish a sense of community, and (4) to understand the accessibility of adaptive dance in a Maine rural community. Participants of this study included caregivers of dancers, adult dancers who participate in adaptive dance classes, and teachers of adaptive dance. Participants are associated with a dance studio in rural Maine. Interviews were conducted and written data collected was analyzed using a qualitative thematic analysis. This presentation will provide insight into the lived experiences of dance instructors and caregivers on adaptive dance and provide a thorough overview of the literature surrounding adaptive dance and benefits to the field of occupational therapy.
Iliff, S., Mariani,H., Swiecki, G., Patel, P., Rocha, S., Edwards, B., Sondergeld,M., Downey, T. (2022). Parental Perspectives on Inclusive Dance Program: Their Child’s Experiences and Outcomes. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, Vol. 76. doi: https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2022.76S1-P
Shields, N., Synnot, A. Perceived barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with disability: a qualitative study. BMC Pediatrics 16, 9 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-016-0544-7