Story

Dance for Wellbeing: Moving People, Changing Lives

At Pavilion Dance South West we believe dance is for everyone and that movement can make a real difference to how we feel, connect and live our lives.

Our wellbeing programmes use the joy, creativity and social power of dance to support people living with a range of health and wellbeing challenges. From Parkinson's Dance to Groove to Improve for people living with lower back pain, our classes create welcoming spaces where people can build confidence in their bodies, connect with others and have fun.

Parkinson's Dance

For more than 14 years our Parkinson's Dance programme has bought people living with Parkinson's and their loved ones together every Friday afternoon for movement, creativity, laughter and friendship. The programme began in 2012 and is based on the Parkinson's Dance Science approach, co-founded by neuro-physiotherapist Dr Sophia Hulbert and dance artist Aimee Hobbs with our support. It brings together physiotherapy knowledge, research evidence and artistic experience of dance to create a personal, social and creative experience:

"The best Friday afternoons - always different, always fun and a feeling of relaxation as well as hard work of course. Laughter and happy times"

Groove to Improve

We also believe dance can help people living with persistent pain. Groove to Improve is a partnership class programme developed in partnership with the Health Sciences University and dance artists, Aimee Hobbs and Samantha Gillingham. It's a non-clinal dance class that uses music and gentle creative activity to encourage people to move with greater confidence, stay active and develop sustainable movements habits for everyday life and wellbeing:

"I can see a big difference in how I feel and move throughout my whole body"

Help us keep people moving

As a charity we rely on the generosity of our community, trusts and grants to make our work possible. Your donation could help someone living with Parkinson's to continue to dance, help someone with persistent back pain to rediscover confidence in movement, or help us create the next opportunity for someone who needs the wellbeing benefits of being active and connected.

Every donation helps us put dance where it can make a difference.