Musings of a Dance/Movement Therapist

The Octaband Brings Joy to Orphans in Sarajevo and Bosnia

Margy Grosswendt went to Bosnia and Sarajevo for the first time in May 2012 with a British tour company. While there, Margy made connections, returning on her own in October to November 2012 to bring play, breathing, creative movement, jazz dance, yoga, and Pilates to children in orphanages. 

Margy is 2nd from the left.

Margy taught a large group of 2.5 to 5 year olds, a staff class, and a teen class. The lessons for the young children ran 45-50 minutes. She had "18 kids with a variety of needs and backgrounds." Margy was accompanied by their primary "nanny", a translator and music. Margy describes her success as astonishing, "particularly with the very youngest children". Margy described them "as almost frozen" when she began working with them. "After about 10 days, their eyes began dancing and they came out of their stiff shells - all with music and movement." She said, "it seemed to me that they opened up and connected with me and their bodies and their emotions in a profound way."

Octaband, first graders and the bunny.

Margy purchased an 8-Leg and a 16-Leg Octaband for her return to Bosnia and Sarajevo to volunteer from May 10 to June 17. She thought the Octaband would be a good way to bring the kids together.

This child is using Octaband for the first time.

At Bosnia orphanage using Octaband for first time. They LOVED it. These are first graders. We moved to Beethoven's Ode to Joy for a warm up then Safety Dance.

Octaband with teens: really fun: Sarajevo orphanage

Margy "used the Octaband with the teen group and they loved it, too, even making up supine positions. It was quite helpful in bringing in those reluctant teenagers sitting on the sidelines, as they needed more sets of hands for the larger Octaband. And then the [teenagers] felt part of the music and movement with the others facilitated by the Octaband!

Margy's work has all been volunteering. She is hoping to teach teachers to lead such a program, for "creative movement is a vital part of a child's development". She also hopes that this will lead to a few jobs for the Bosnian people.

I am thrilled for the part that the Octaband has played in bringing joy to these children. But the Octaband doesn't do it all. It's the people who use the Octaband who bring the joy.

 

Arts, Dementia News and Resources

Today's blog is a patchwork of inspiring news and events that have come across my desk in recent days.

Mass Creative reports: Senator Dan Wolf’s amendment approved to add $1.6 million to the MCC budget. This vote increases the state's investment in the creative community by 17% to a total of just over $11 million.

The creative community can influence legislation when we speak in a unified voice and we engage our constituencies to act. "This is an important step in the right direction as we work to rebuild the state investment in the creative community."

Thursday, June 20, 2013
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Salsa, Sangria & Dementia
An evening of wisdom and support for
adults whose parent has Alzheimer’s disease
or another neurocognitive disorder.Our political leaders moved because the creative community came together and sent a clear message that the arts and cultural community is a priority.

Featuring an interactive presentation:
Top 10 Truths for Adults Coping with a Parent’s Dementia
led by Joanne Peskowitz, LICSW, and Beth Soltzberg, LCSW

Sponsored by JC&FS, 

Where: José’s Mexican Restaurant (131 Sherman Street in Cambridge)
4 10-15 minute walk from Alewife T station
4 Free parking in José’s parking lot
4 josesmex.com
Cost: A donation of $10 per person is requested

Chigago Tribute reported ‘Dance for Dementia’ Event to Raise Funds for the Alzheimer's Association Greater Chicago Chapter. (EVANSTON, Illinois, May 20, 2013) – North Shore Dance Therapy is holding a fundraising event to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association Greater Illinois Chapter. Dance for Dementia will be held on Sunday, June 23rd from 3:00pm-6:00pm at the Levy Senior Center located at 300 Dodge Avenue in Evanston, IL.

Erica Hornthal, owner and President of North Shore Dance Therapy, a business dedicated to providing holistic counseling and psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families and groups who have been touched by dementia, and creator of Dance for Dementia, understands the power that movement can have for individuals whose verbal communication skills may be hindered, and for their loved ones who are looking to reconnect. As a movement therapist, Hornthal uses body movement everyday with her clients to provide the means of assessment and the mode of intervention in therapy. “Movement is universal and body language is the earliest form of communication we have. From the moment we are born we are sending messages through the body to convey our needs and wants. This need to communicate never goes away. Dance for Dementia is about bringing the benefits of dance therapy to the community and opening the lines of communication through the use of creative arts therapies.”

What people liked best about the Pioneer Network Conference?

"Receiving new ideas and bringing back practical things that can be implemented."

"The people, attendees and presenters alike. I'm still floating on a cloud from being with hundreds of like-minded folks, who GET it!"

"Very inspiring, uplifting, overwhelming and thought provoking."

Pioneer Network's next conference coming up. Afraid I won't make it this year. I will sorely miss getting together with others passionate about making the world a better place for older adults and people with dementia.

Life Long Learning for a Dance/Movement Therapist

Finished teaching for the school year, so I have time to glance at a few links about dance moments.

There were so many great links posted on the American Dance Therapy Association's FB page the past couple of days. If you want to know what's happening in dance/movement therapy, join the group.

I will share some of these links and some from Certified Movement Analyst colleagues as well.

Lame Leno Skit Turns Unexpectedly Amazing Thanks to Incredible Couple

The Incredible Power Of Concentration, Miyoko Shida's performance for the Spanish TV program "Tú Sí Que Vales" You guessed it. This was recommended by a CMA.

Derek Sivers: How to start a movement on TedTalks. Inspiring talk about not leadership, but following. "The first follower turns the first nut into a leader. . .The importance of nurturing the first few followers as equals, so It's clearly about the movement and not you. . . . If you really want to start a movement, have the courage to follow and show others how to follow."

Psychology plus ballet: Meet 'Dr. Dancer' an article which touts the interface between mind and body by a psychologist and dancer, but erringly neglects to mention the hundreds of dance/movement therapists who have been doing this work for decades. Go to the American Dance Therapy Association website and check out profiles of a few dance/movement therapists and the amazing work that they are doing.

A beautful article 'Bodies of Work' is all about art and ability is in the May 9,, 2013 Aberdeen News. This quotation speaks volumes. Referenced is "Carrie Sandahl, an associate professor in the Department of Disability and Human Development at the University of Illinois at Chicago, who also heads the university's Program on Disability Art, Culture, and Humanities".

Instead of seeing disability as a flaw, advocates like Sandahl argue that we should instead consider it "part of natural human variation." Through art, says Sandahl, an artist with a theater background who was born with sacral agenesis, a condition that requires her to walk with crutches or use a wheelchair, "we are expressing our perspectives on the world gained by having a unique body, a unique mind, sensory differences, mental health differences. We don't see these as obstacles to overcome, but as experiences to be explored."

There are many exciting dance/movement therapy workshops happening this summer some of which are graduate programs you can find out about here and some are workshops in California, Minneapolis, Boston area, New York city and Rochester, NY.

Creative arts therapist looking for coaching? I highly recommend Annie Kirschenmann of AKA Coach and Company.

What to Do When I Get There

My father had vascular dementia, his sister Alzheimer's Disease. So I want to train people how I want to be treated when and if I ever need to be in a residential or day care setting caring for people with a dementia.I want people to know what to do when I get there. I say this only half tongue in cheek.

Like my father, I don't want to play bingo. There were some who bribed him into playing by offering him Hershey's chocolate kissess. If you're going to bribe me, I want top-of-the-line dark chocolate covered almonds with sea salt, the kind they sell at Trader Joe's.

I want you to play with me, sing and dance with me. And please, please, don't tell me how to dance. Follow my lead. Whether or not you think you are a better dancer than I, please follow my lead. Appreciate the dance that I do. I like the music from the 20's to the late 60's. That's my sensibility. Please don't play rock music. Carribbean, Latin - I'm happy to try new music, as long as it ensures that I can't keep still while listening.

I am not one who likes to listen to music, except as a motivator for dance. However, music is a lot better than TV. I don't want the tv or radio on, except NPR, ever in my presence. I probably won't even want NPR then, although I love the sounds of the hosts' voices. In fact, I'm a person who likes quiet. And solitude. I love the sound of birds and even insects. Please don't have one of those cuckoo clocks that supposedly sounds like bird calls. My father once said, "and they think that sounds like birds?" Practice your bird calls please.

Play with me. Play is a wonderful way to acknowledge our mutuality. Truth is, you will need me just as much as I will need you. I will want to know not only that you see me and hear me, but that you value my presence. For surely, although I may not have words, I will still be breathing and will be able to experience you and the emotions and attitudes you bring. Please bring me love. Oodles and oodles of love. Nothing else will matter at that point. Just knowing that I'm still here, that you value me and are affected by my being ~ maybe even changed because you have sat with me ~ without all the words.