Dance Artist Research Bursary Awarded!

DELIGHTED to announce that I have been awarded an Artist Research Bursary from The Work Room to support research and development towards creating a template for an online video resource for teachers to implement a series of five minute dance breaks for children in the school day. These could be done at the desk and in bubbles.

Between now and December I will be working directly with teachers at Pollokshields Primary on this project whom I have an ongoing dance relationship with. Over that time I will (largely) communicate with the teachers online (or outside when possible) and they will then disseminate the dance to the children. The children then will teach *their* particular dances to the other classes creating ownership and sense of their own choreographic potential.

At the end we aim to have (at least) five - five minute desk dances. These will be informed directly by the experiences of the teachers and children, bringing expressive fun bursts into the school day.

Urban schools in particular are limited by space, and on rainy days children are limited in physical play time. This contributes to poor health as studies show a sharp rise in obesity between P1-P4 which continues into upper years. Also in Covid-world mental health is strained and cortisol levels high. Providing short achievable dance ‘tasks’ for the teachers would help to elevate endorphins as children find ways to express themselves.

I am very excited to continue my work in the local community which has the potential to reach more folks in the long term, empowering everyone to feel good where ever you are in your body, your mind, your geography and community.