Scottish Ballet Launches As A National Centre For Dance Health

Scottish Ballet launches as a National Centre for Dance Health having delivered innovative work within this field since 2013, benefitting over 400,000 participants through a combination of classes, health resources, engagement programmes, online resources and research studies.

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.

Culture Minister Neil Gray, said, 'I'm delighted with the launch of the Scottish Ballet's National Centre for Dance Health which brings together all their existing health and wellbeing programmes under one banner.

This demonstrates the important role that cultural and physical activities such as dance can play in supporting health and well-being such as Scottish Ballet's dementia friendly and Parkinsons/Multiple Sclerosis dance programmes.'

Christopher Bailey, Arts and Health Lead from the World Health Organisation (WHO), said, 'WHO welcomes the news that Scottish Ballet will launch as a National Centre for Dance Health. For decades WHO has encouraged people to improve their physical health through dance and exercise, whilst recently looking more deeply at the mental health and social well-being aspects of the arts, including dance in all its local forms.'

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.'

Director of Engagement at Scottish Ballet, Catherine Cassidy, said, 'By launching as a National Centre for Dance, Scottish Ballet is furthering its commitment to being pioneers within the field of dance health.

I am proud of the work that the SB Health team continues to deliver, and the impact that each programme has on the communities of people that we connect with. We will continue to use dance as a connector to improve physical and mental wellbeing, whilst working to address barriers so that everyone can access our activities to celebrate the dancer in each of us.'

Talking about the SB Health classes, Professor Jonathan O'Riordan, Consultant Neurologist at NHS Tayside, said, 'I have and continue to refer patients to these sessions. The feedback has been excellent. Patients feel a sense of belonging and the combination of music and movement re-engages their physical and emotional wellbeing. When I mention this support network almost all are happy to become involved.'

Talking about exploring pathways for SB Health to be socially prescribed, Sara Redmond, Chief Officer of the ALLIANCE said, 'The ALLIANCE has been championing and embedding social prescribing for many years. Working in the Arts and with Scottish Ballet is a unique way to support health and wellbeing. This innovative partnership with Scottish Ballet supports progress for a dance health social prescribing model for Scotland.'

Talking about the long COVID project Emerge, Medical Director for the Royal College of General Practitioners, Dr Gail Allsopp, said, 'The Royal College of General Practitioners is delighted to have been involved in this innovative dance-based project to help benefit those suffering from the long-term effects of COVID-19.

Co-production with patients and clinicians means this resource is based on evidence and current approaches to care and we hope it will be useful for GPs and their teams to signpost their patients to, who require support in the community where appropriate.'

Claire Cordeaux , CEO from the British Association for Performing Artists (BAPAM), said, 'The British Association for Performing Artists is aware of the impact of prolonged symptoms of COVID-19 on performing artists and have seen an increase in those seeking help from us. To have ballet-based help will be particularly helpful to those with a performing background, and we are delighted to see such a fantastic resource available for everyone to use.'

Talking about SB Health classes, participant Heather Elland, said, 'It's completely changed the way I live with my MS. When I dance, I feel free. I'm free of judgements, I'm free of obligation, I'm free of responsibilities and it just gives me the chance to be me.

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