Supporting health workers through dance

In Wales, several organisations have been working in partnership to explore what dance might offer to help health workers provide the care and support needed by the most vulnerable in society. 

Moving Beyond Compliance is a pioneering pilot project*, delivered by National Dance Company Wales (NDCWales) and health charity Cartrefi Cymru Cooperative Limited to explore new ways to support staff health and wellbeing and to develop a model that could benefit care sector staff working in a range of  settings. 

As Paul Kaynes, NDCWales’ Chief Executive says: “We know from all our experience that dance is an artform that can nurture the creativity and wellbeing of people participating and wanted to explore how we could offer support to this critical cohort of health workers and the people they work with to improve people's lives.” 

Living good lives

Cartrefi Cymru supports people with learning difficulties to live good lives in the community. Due to the nature of the work, muscular/skeletal problems are common among staff. 

This movement-based project not only addresses physical care but also tension in body and mind, recognising how personal, physical and psychological wellbeing impacts on professional practice.

The project concept was developed by choreographer Ben Wright, with dance artist Bettina Carpi, who set out to address problems of physical tension using movement.  

Through workshops and movement sessions, the project explored the long-term benefits of maintaining a physical awareness of self-care and investigated the ‘softer’ benefits of sharing, listening and working with colleagues, to reduce isolation and feel valued.

Feeling better through movement

All the participants said the experience was positive for their physical and mental wellbeing. Using techniques used by professional dance artists was a unique and effective approach as one of the dance artists said:

“I think there are a lot of stereotypes around what dance is and who it is for. We all have ways of feeling better through movement so trying to tap into that - and the connections between movement and wellbeing - rather than focusing on aesthetics and how something should look has been so beautiful.”

The movement sessions were particularly beneficial in relieving stress and tension with several participants noting a greater awareness of their bodies and changes in their physical wellbeing after the sessions.

“It has helped me to stretch and look after my body more. I didn't realise how much stress my shoulders carried.”

There is also qualitative evidence demonstrating the project’s impact on mental and emotional health, with some respondents citing increased confidence and improved feelings about their body image. Participants also mentioned emotional shifts as a result of the workshops.

The project was successful in achieving its primary aim of meeting the wellbeing needs of all participants. Interestingly, the social benefits of meeting different colleagues outside the working environment were as beneficial and appreciated as the movement and relaxation. 

“It was a really nice opportunity to get out of the office, be amongst other Cartrefi staff and have fun.”

Sharing the learning

The project is being evaluated by the National Activity Providers Association (NAPA) in five key areas: 

Shadowing: dance artists shadowed Cartrefi Cymru staff at work to understand the reality of their working life. This both informed workshop content and developed relationships and connections prior to workshop delivery.

Workshops: the workshops, devised and delivered by dance artists Yvette Halfhide, Marla King and Jake Nwogu, were designed to cover physical, emotional, mental, spiritual and social outcomes.

Wellbeing outcomes: what the participants gained from the workshop experience and will take with them to manage self-care in the future.

Business case: to contribute to build potential and make the case for development.

Recommendations: what learning has been gained from the pilot project and recommendations for development.

As Hilary Woodhead, NAPA’s Executive Director, explains: “This is an important project. We are committed to promoting the benefits of arts and creativity in care provision, having seen the benefits for all involved, and look forward to sharing the learning with the wider sector.”

The next steps are to explore how the findings of the pilot can influence long-term wellbeing support for health workers in such settings. 

Becky Wright is Head of Development at National Dance Company Wales.
@ndcwales | @CartrefiCymru

* This pilot project was made possible by support received from Arts Council of Wales Arts, Health and Wellbeing National Lottery Fund. The aim of this programme is to support partnerships from across the arts, health, social care and third sectors to provide high-quality creative projects that deliver health and wellbeing benefits for the people of Wales.