Dance and Health - Advancing Your Practice
A new professional development programme for artists working at the extraordinary intersection of dance and health.
Be nurtured, and learn how to nurture.
Connect, and learn how to bring people into connection.
Dance, and learn how to enrich people's lives with dance.
As the number of dance and health initiatives multiply, in response to severe population health challenges and devastating world events, there is a need to skilfully equip and grow the number of artists delivering the work.
The Dance and Health - Advancing Your Practice training opportunity has been designed by artists for artists, in response to this need. It is an invitation to expand your practice, refining artistic and facilitation skills, within a community of care.
This training adopts an iterative ‘learn by doing’ approach to development, in which artists are guided to interrogate, evolve and sustain their practice - individually and collectively.
It offers space for artists (who often work in isolation) to come together to resource themselves, learn from one another, engage with reflexive practice, and explore both the rewards and complexities of working in the field of dance and health.
The programme is underpinned by both ancient and contemporary perspectives on health and healing, offering broader context to artists’ existing and emergent practice. Specifically, this will support artists in designing dance experiences with a focus on health and wellbeing.
Although this is primarily a practice based training programme, trainees are encouraged to engage with recommended texts and contribute to conversation spaces (see training focus areas for more information).
How to apply?
We’re not currently receiving applications. This training is set to be an annual offer, running June - September per calendar year. Please add your name to a mailing list via this Expression of Interest form, should you wish to be kept informed about the next opportunity to take part. You might also wish to follow @emilyjanejenkins on instagram.
Key Focus Areas
The training consists of five key and interwoven focus areas. Each area of focus has multiple components, which you can view here.
This programme is a counterpart to Move Dance Feel’s Dance in Cancer Care - Practitioner Training programme - please explore both options to ensure that this is the right training for you.
The training programme is led by…
Emily Jenkins, Founder-Director of Move Dance Feel, as well as 10 specialists contributing cross-sector practice, insights and career sustainability support. Together they share expertise in dance and somatic practices, dance and health, teaching and facilitation, dance technique, artist wellbeing, dance science and research, community dance practice, pedagogy and education.
In addition to dance, the sessions will focus on creative health, grief tending, arts advocacy and activism, and financial literacy.
All participants will become part of a training cohort who learn with and from one another.
“Dance at Middlesex University are delighted to be collaborating with Emily - someone at the forefront of dance and health. The need for greater support of wellbeing during complex health difficulties is increasing, thus leading to a greater requirement from dance artists to share their practice in this capacity. We are excited about working together to offer timely sector support.
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Who is it for?
Dance artists, with facilitation experience, who work in community and / or health contexts.
Applicants should have a strong and regular dance / movement practice and be working in the field. The training is delivered across four months to allow trainees to apply their learning and evolve their practice in context, alongside the programme.
In recognition of the fact that dance and health is a broad field, we also welcome applications from;
Dancers who are transitioning from a performance career to participatory dance work
Dance movement therapists working in group settings
Somatic movement practitioners with professional training and experience in dance
Health practitioners with an established dance practice looking to integrate their work
We are looking for artists who;
Are experienced in facilitation
Have experience of dancing with people with a variety of abilities and / or health challenges
Need to advocate for the how and whys of their work to a dance and / or health audience
Can commit time to developing themselves and their practice, in community
Embrace mutuality and can communicate what they bring to a training cohort
Can attend all of the training dates detailed
Dates and location
This programme piloted in 2024, and is due to return in 2026. Dates will be announced in Autumn 2025. Please ensure you have expressed your interest via the form above, under the ‘how to apply section’, to be notified about future training dates.
This is a hybrid programme. In person sessions are located in London, and are paired with online sessions also. In order to participate fully, you must be available to attend sessions in person as well as online.
Cost, travel and accommodation
The cost of the training, along with travel and accommodation information, will be detailed once the next round of applications opens.
During and after the training, artists will;
Be part of an ongoing learning community
Belong to a network of dance and health professionals nationally / internationally
Receive resources to support ongoing learning
Have access to a body of evidence to support your practice
Be provided with a professional reference (on request)
Please note, this is a practice based professional development opportunity. During and upon completion of the programme trainees will be invited to reflect on their learning and share how they are applying it in practice.
