Dance Classes for Older People2023-03-20T10:54:19+00:00

Dance Opportunities for Older People

From weekly dance classes in Dublin city centre, to larger scale participation and performance projects, BROADREACH offers a variety of opportunities for older people to engage with dance.   With a focus on providing a quality creative experience for all participants, there are initiatives for people of various levels, all of which are designed to bring people together in a friendly social way.

If you would like to receive updates on upcoming projects and classes, click here to join our mailing list or email caoimhe@coisceim.com to join the Broadreach Whatsapp group.

 

Photo by Anthony Griffin 

 

DANCE CLASSES 2023

 

WEDNESDAY DROP IN CLASSES

18 JANUARY – 8 MARCH | Anderson De Souza
15 MARCH – 28 JUNE* | Laura Macken

WHEN | WEDNESDAYS
TIME | 2.30-4.00pm
WHERE | Carmelite Community Centre,  Aungier Street, Dublin 2
FEE | €5 cash per class
No booking required
*NOTE: There will be no class on 10 & 17 May

With huge thanks to Anderson De Souza for kicking off 2023 with a bang, we are delighted to be continuing the year with dance artist Laura Macken’s return to our Wednesday classes! Laura will be putting a spring in our step as we move together and welcome in the brighter afternoons. No registration is needed for this class – just drop in and dance each week.
 

ENERGISING, RELAXING AND FUN!

Designed to maintain flexibility, strength and coordination – the classes include easy stretch exercises, dance sequences and freestyle movement to music of all kinds – No experience necessary – Bring a partner or come alone – No booking required.

Questions? Email caoimhe@coisceim.com OR call/text +353879941786 for more information about the class and alternative payment options.

Digital Dance Class Library

On-demand digital classes led by Philippa Donnellan are a great way to have some fun and dance with us from the comfort of your home anytime.

Start with easy warm-up exercises and learn different dances – let’s keep moving together! At the click of the mouse you can watch on your computer, phone or tablet, then just join in and dance. AND – if you can’t get the moves the first time – just re-wind and watch again!

Click here to find out more…

THANK YOU…

We’d like to offer a huge thank you to dance artists Anthea McWilliams, Dee Grant, Cai Tomos and Cassie Meador for leading our digital terms of classes in 2021.

Anthea has been working in community dance in Northern Ireland for over 30 years and particularly enjoys working/ dancing with older people. Find out more about her work with Age on Stage HERE.

Dee is the current Dance Artist in Residence at Garter Lane Arts Centre, Waterford. Her residency dance documentary film ‘The Resilience of Memory’ , features older dancers from her weekly group Best Foot Forward Dance Club, Waterford – watch it HERE.

Cai is an Independent Dance artist and Art Psychotherapist. His practice spans from dancing and making, to facilitating arts and health work with people of all ages both in hospitals and in theatre settings. He runs an Elders Performance Company, CAIN, in North Wales and offers workshops in the UK and abroad. Read more about his practice HERE.

Cassie is Maryland-based choreographer, arts leader, and Executive Artistic Director of Dance Exchange. Her performance projects activate ways for communities to collaborate and vision together across generations. In May 2021, Cassie was the co-creative director of the Dance On Festival, an online festival celebrating aging with dance, creativity, and connection. Read more about Dance Exchange’s Dance On: Creative Aging program HERE.

YOU SAID…

It was lovely to stretch, move and have fun with Anthea, and I love her sense of humour!

We loved his instinctive approach, starting each class with a few powerful images, linking always to nature, the body and the breath. It felt like he was in the room with us.

It is wonderful to have something to keep us mentally and physically engaged in difficult circumstances.  Dee was a pleasure to meet and gently, but energetically, put us through our paces! 

We loved his instinctive approach, starting each class with a few powerful images, linking always to nature, the body and the breath. It felt like he was in the room with us.

Wednesday afternoons have been a point of joy during the week in these COVID times!

We loved his instinctive approach, starting each class with a few powerful images, linking always to nature, the body and the breath. It felt like he was in the room with us.

The Zoom experience was invaluable, it enabled me to “flail” to my hearts content!

 

We loved his instinctive approach, starting each class with a few powerful images, linking always to nature, the body and the breath. It felt like he was in the room with us.

We loved his instinctive approach, starting each class with a few powerful images, linking always to nature, the body and the breath. It felt like he was in the room with us.

Projects and Performances

” …being part of this project has changed me in so many ways. I am much more confident and each year continue to learn more about myself.” – Love Song and Dance Participant

“I found I forgot all my worries and troubles and came away each time feeling happier.” – Feast on Dance Participant

“I cannot really express how much I enjoyed the classes, from the gentle exercises to the choreography I found it all so enjoyable and satisfying.” – Class Participant

Gallery

(AT A) DISTANCE DANCING | Fairview Park

LED BY ANTHEA MCWILLIAMS

JUNE 2021 

Since 2020, Anthea has led (AT A) DISTANCE DANCING workshops in Lisburn Park. We were delighted to welcome her to Dublin, in-person, to guide participants in some big moves & some small moves in the beautiful surroundings of Fairview Park.

WHEN 16, 23, 30 June, 7 July
TIME  2.00-3.00pm
WHERE  Fairview Park, Dublin 3.  Meet from 1.45pm at the concrete base of the bandstand – beside the skate-park. CLICK HERE for map. 

After a physically distanced group introduction & warm-up,  Anthea leads off with some short choreographed sequences that travel along the pathways through the trees accompanied by some lively recorded music. There is time to enjoy some improvisation, strength building, balance, coordination, timing, rhythm, speed, dynamics, breathing all the way of course and fun! The workshops end in a spacious circle for some stretches, reaches, roll downs, breaths and reflections. 

Visit DISTANCE DANCING’