The VITALITY Project: Dance For Wellness brought together seniors from the NSW Northern Rivers region for three vibrant weekly workshops held at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium, Lismore in November 2024.
Developed by Dance Integrated Australia as part of ACON’s LOVE Project (Living Older Visibly Engaged), these workshops fostered social connection, creativity, and physical activity among older adults, championing a holistic approach to wellness.
Led by Creative Director, Philip Channells, the project demonstrated how movement and creativity can empower individuals and strengthen community bonds.
Dancers: Ivan and Gill
Loved being led by Philip – it was awesome to experience his ability to be creative on the fly. I’m pretty sure all in the community would benefit from a project like VITALITY on an ongoing basis. Guilherme (Gill) Machado da Silva
Celebrating Resilience and Queer Stories
The VITALITY Project was inspired by a moment of profound self-expression – a chance encounter in Lismore’s main street with Peter, who proudly donned a pair of striking blue, bejangled high heels. This encounter symbolised the courage, individuality, and untold stories of queer elders who have lived through profound challenges, from the HIV/AIDS epidemic of the 1980s to the evolving fight for equality.
Rooted in the desire to honour resilience and individuality, the project aimed to create a safe, inclusive space where participants could explore, celebrate, and share their stories through the transformative power of dance and movement.
Dancer: Jeanette
A Thoughtful, Inclusive Approach
To ensure the workshops were inclusive and meaningful, consultations with queer elders Roy Starkey and Zenith Virago shaped the project’s starting point. Their invaluable insights ensured the creative process acknowledged the participants’ lived experiences and traumas while focusing on celebration and connection.
Their guidance was pivotal in setting a respectful and thoughtful tone for the project. By honouring the wisdom of our elders, we created a safe and trusting space where stories of resilience and individuality could truely shine. Philip Channells
Acknowledging that neither facilitators nor ACON staff were qualified therapists, the project set clear boundaries: recognising individual psychological needs but maintaining a focus on the collective creative journey. This clarity fostered trust, safety, and mutual respect among all involved.
Dancers: Guy, Ken, Sharyn and Brian
Engaging Creativity and Connection
The workshops combined gentle physical activity with imaginative storytelling and playful games. Sessions began with dynamic warm-ups, followed by activities like Grandmother’s Footsteps, Musical Chairs, and an egg-and-spoon race – though in this case, an orange ping pong ball stood in for the egg.
Participants co-created a sequence of movements inspired by personal stories and collective ideas. Activities like mapping significant life moments from the 1940s to the present on butcher’s paper prompted heartfelt sharing, including stories of love, loss, incarceration, acceptance, and joy. These stories became the foundation for a vibrant tapestry of movement, poetry, and tableaux, showcasing a wide spectrum of experiences:
– A woman’s devotion to her dog.
– Tiny, tickling “spider fingertips” tracing faces and arms.
– A yearning to embody a Disney character.
– A real-life “Kween” commanding presence.
Dancers: Guy, Michael, Brian, Nora, Sharyn, Jeanette and Philip
Working on this storytelling showpiece strengthened bonds with old friends and brought new friendships into my life. A standout moment was dancing hand-in-hand offstage with someone, marking the start of a wonderful connection. Philip’s direction and the cast’s ability to bring our story to life, especially during the ‘Ipsy Wispy Spider’ sequence, were phenomenal. I truly hope for more opportunities like this in the future. Geoff Harrison
Dancers: Alan and Geoff
Key Outcomes and Feedback
Feedback from ACON Northern Rivers highlights the project’s profound impact on participants:
– Enhanced social connections, creativity, and physical wellbeing.
– Reduced feelings of isolation among older adults.
– Increased confidence and self-expression.
Participants expressed a strong desire for future workshops, with suggestions including smaller group sizes, consider lowering the age threshold for participants and extended program durations. These insights underscore the project’s success and potential for growth.
Conclusion
The VITALITY Project has received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, who report significant benefits in terms of community connection, creativity, and physical well-being. The program has successfully addressed the needs of older adults by reducing feelings of isolation and enhancing both physical and emotional resilience.
The high interest in future workshops indicates that the program’s impact is both lasting and valuable to the participants. Suggestions for improvement include ensuring smaller participant numbers and potentially extending the length of the workshops.
Why it matters
The VITALITY Project is more than a dance initiative; it’s a testament to the transformative power of creativity in addressing isolation, fostering resilience, and celebrating diversity. With its focus on older adults, particularly within the LGBTQIA+ community of the NSW Northern Rivers, the project provides a model for inclusive, arts-led wellness programs across Australia.
Dancers: Ken, Alan, Gill, Geoff, Michael, Ross, Brian, Nora and Jeanette
Philip Channells | Dance Integrated Australia 