Circle Dance in Dementia

Circle Dance in Dementia is a training programme, provided by Dementia Pathfinders Community Interest Company, for staff in care homes or day centres, community groups, Local Authorities and the NHS, and for community musicians and dancers. Circle dancing developed from traditional folk dance from around the world. Music and dances from the circle dance repertoire have been simplified and adapted for both seated and standing dance. The touch, holding, swaying, and simple repetitive movements allow the participant to feel safe within the circle and provides an opportunity for expression and creativity.

The dance also provides an enjoyable form of exercise and movement. Circle Dance Training aims to enable staff to provide their own movement and music sessions for their service users. It offers the opportunity for a shared activity with partners, relatives and carers. It can be used in residential and day settings, assessment units, NHS and voluntary organisation groups with older people, people with learning disability, mental health conditions, and physical disabilities. It can be offered at care home social events, and Alzheimer's cafes. Each track on the CD provided with the training course can be used for standing and seated dance.

‘Uplifting and motivating – the dance is an inclusive activity and will help feelings of togetherness’.

‘I have found something which is very valuable for our users with potential for involving relatives’

‘Simple to learn and achievable and versatile for our users’.

‘I felt inspired and refreshed by your course’

Circle Dance training aims to enable and skill up staff to provide their own movement and music sessions with their service users. The dance provides an enjoyable form of exercise and movement. Staff have welcomed an activity in which people with moderate/medium stage dementia can engage. It offers the opportunity for a shared activity with partners, relatives and carers. It can be used in residential and day settings, assessment units, NHS and voluntary organisation groups with older people, people with learning disability, mental health conditions, and physical disabilities. It can be offered at care home social events, and Alzheimer's Cafes.

The delegate rate includes 20 tracks of specially selected Circle Dance music suitable for standing and seated dance. Also included is a full handout pack containing dance notes and choreography, to accompany the music. We are able to provide the music on a CD, if required, at a cost of £10, which includes postage and packing.

Aims: This one-day course will introduce participants to the use of Circle Dance in Dementia, and provide them with the necessary skills and knowledge to deliver circle dance sessions in their own settings.

The course is suitable for practitioners who work with people with dementia in group settings, such as care staff, activity coordinators, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, community dance practitioners, community musicians, exercise instructors, day centre workers and volunteers who are based in settings with people with dementia.

Course Objectives

• To introduce learners to the history of circle dance and its contemporary use in the field of dementia

• For learners to experience a variety of the circle dances

• To give a basic understanding of how dementia may affect physical and cognitive skills with respect to dance

• To equip learners with skills in devising basic choreography for circle dance in dementia

• To explore links with other activities, such as reminiscence, exercise and music

• To encourage learners to consider the planning, delivery, observation and monitoring of their circle dance sessions

Learning Outcomes: At the end of the course learners will be able to:

• State the benefits of dance and specifically circle dance, for people with dementia

• Describe best practice in group facilitation skills for people with dementia

• Plan and deliver circle dance sessions in their work settings for people with dementia

• Create new dance steps to music for use in their settings

• Devise effective ways of using observation and monitoring of their circle dance sessions

Training Style/Approach: The day is a mixture of taught content, experiential and creative learning, delivered in a relaxed way.

Trainers: Liv and Kelly 

Read about the trainers on our Associates page (create link to page)

To commission Circle Dance in Dementia training for your service or for more information about open training days, please contact info@dementiapathfinders.org or phone 0845 257 2250