Posidance In Schools

WHAT MAKES POSIDANCE DIFFERENT?

 

Dance workshops in schools typically focus on teaching dance as a skill or an art form, or use it as a tool for academic enhancement. 

 

Whilst these workshops are incredibly beneficial for the development of gross motor skills and the foundations of integral subjects such as numeracy and literacy, they do not touch on how dance can be beneficial for wellbeing, communication and connection. Emotional resilience and wellbeing is foundational for students to be life-long learners, and assist them in navigating difficult situations that may arise throughout their high school experiences.

 

Posidance, therefore,  utilises the foundations of mindfulness and positive psychology - specifically shown in numerous research studies to be incredibly beneficial for our wellbeing - with dance to educate students and dancers alike not only about mental health, but how to set up strategies for better life outcomes.

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HOW DOES MINDFULNESS AND DANCING ASSIST IN THE EMOTIONAL WELBEING OF STUDENTS?

 

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Researchers have reviewed over 200 mindfulness-based studies through numerous meta-analyses and found that mindfulness-based therapy was especially effective for reducing stress, anxiety and depression. This is due to mindfulness acknowledging the present moment, which reduces rumination.

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When children engage in mindfulness and positive psychology, they independently build the skills that develop confidence, cope with stress, and relate to challenging or uncomfortable events. It can also be used to enhance critical skills such as sustained attention, memory, task switching and socialisation.

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The 2021 study “Conscious dance: Perceived benefits and psychological well-being of participants” found that conscious, free-flowing dance produced positive mental health benefits amongst participants based on a survey of 1,000 dancers across the world that had anxiety, depression and history of trauma.

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Dance has also been shown to improve self-esteem, increases endorphins and enhance socialisation in addition to other numerous physical and mental benefits.

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Therefore, you could only imagine the physical and mental benefits of engaging in dance programs that incorporate mindfulness and positive psychology.

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WHAT DO WE OFFER?

SCHOOL INCURSIONS

In addition to educating students about mental health and wellbeing, Posidance workshops can include the following elements, in accordance with the preferences of teachers, educational services, and schools:

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IMPROVISATIONAL TASKING

 Based on thefoundational elements of mindfulness-based therapy - Attention and Acceptance - improvisational tasks are created that either engage focused attention or open awareness to ensure that students stay present and open-minded.

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CREATIVE TASKING

 From improvisation comes creative tasking; allowing students the agency to explore their imagination whilst collaborating and communicating with others, in order to present works that align with the foundations of Posidance: to connect and communicate.

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CHOREOGRAPHY

  Choreography is also taught to allow students to engage and enhance their focused attention and hone in on the task at hand, however with the freedom to adapt and develop the choreography to suit their unique movement pathways.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHERS

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For Teachers and Educators, Posidance offers workshops that delve into the development and importance of emotional wellbeing and how the arts can be incorporated into planning to benefit children.

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In accordance with Intentional Teaching, these workshops engage teachers in developing specific tasking with artistic influences that allow children to explore their thoughts and behaviours to heighten their sense of wellbeing.

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The main take-away from these workshops is that you do not have to be a professional artist to incorporate the arts; children are creative and explorative enough to do it themselves. Our job should always be facilitation and guidance, not demonstrating or entertaining.