Mature Moves Arts and Health Program

Mature Moves Arts + Health Program

September 24-25, 2016

A mini program within the Mature Moves [un]convention celebrating the positive impact the arts have on the health, healing and wellbeing of individuals and communities. Join the Movement!

Schedule:

24 September, 2016

2:00 - 3:30pm: Arts + Health Panel - Founders Room SAC

4pm Movers + Shakers Workshop - Backyard Studio SAC

Afternoon Tea

25 September

9:00-11:00am Exchange Workshops - Moonah Arts Centre 

Morning Tea

Arts + Health Panel Topics:

“Artists Creating Health”

The idea of co-creating health with communities, within and beyond our current medical system, is becoming an international conversation, and one that should involve artists. “Artists Creating Health” will allow artists working across varied spaces of health an opportunity to introduce/discuss their work with a greater network of peers and those across disciplines. The goal: to expand understanding and support around the variety of ways that artists can and do engage in creating health, discuss strategies to connect with and/or further work in these areas, embrace broader definitions of health and increase literacy in community-level health systems.

What is a life well lived? How does one achieve it?

As we age we increasingly suffer from both physical fatigue and severe stress. We are often homebound due to safety concerns and compromised immune systems, triggering isolative depression. Caregivers are more likely to get sick as well. Research shows that the Creative Arts improve cancer patients’ Quality of Life by 50% and reduces pain by 59%! Dance reduces the risk of dementia by 76%. The panel will discuss published medical studies on health benefits of music, dance, and creative practice and potential local applications.

Key presenters:

• 
  

  Jill Sonke,Director of the Centre for the Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida, USA

  
  


• 
  

  Andrew Robinson, Co-Director of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, University of Tasmania

  
  


• 
  

  Jami Bladel, Director, Kickstart Arts Centre

  
  

Jill Sonke, MA, is director of the Center for the Arts in Medicine at the University of Florida (UF) and Assistant Director of UF Health Shands Arts in Medicine. She serves on the faculty of the UF Center for Arts in Medicine, and is an affiliated faculty member in the School of Theatre & Dance, the Center for African Studies, and the Center for Movement Disorders and Neurorestoration.  Jill is also an Entrepreneurship Faculty Fellow in the UF Warrington College of Business and a College of Fine Arts Teaching Fellow.

Jill studied dance at Interlochen Arts Academy, the Florida State University, in London, Paris and Athens with teachers of the Horton and Duncan techniques including Bella Lewitsky, Lynda Davis, Milton Meyers, Joy Kellman, Lori Belilove, Julia Levine and Hortense Koluris. She has been a principle dancer and soloist with Lori Belilove & Company in New York  and a guest performer and choreographer with Dance Alive! and Stuart Pimsler Dance and Theatre. She is a soloist and regisseur of the historic works of Isadora Duncan as well as a recognized teacher of the Duncan and Horton techniques.  Jill holds an MA in Human Services from the University of Illinois.

With over 20 years of experience and leadership in arts in medicine, Jill is active in research, curriculum and program development and international cultural exchange.  Her current research focuses on dance and Parkinson's disease, the arts and health messaging, the arts and epidemic response, and the effect of music on cost and quality of care in emergency medicine. Jill is the recipient of a New Forms Florida Fellowship Award, a State of Florida Individual Artist Fellowship Award, an Excellence in Teaching Award from the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, a UF Internationalizing the Curriculum Award, a UF Most Outstanding Service Learning Faculty Award, and over one hundred grants for her programs and research at the University of Florida.

Andrew Robinson is the Professor of Aged Care Nursing in the School of Health Sciences, and Co-director of the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania. Professor Robinson has established a thriving multi-disciplinary aged care research program in Tasmania, and he is now a national and international leader in aged care research and education. Since its inception the Centre has made significant progress in establishing an innovative translational research program, with a national and international reach. The WDREC is now the largest health research group in Tasmania and one of the three biggest dementia research centres in Australia. In this time he has also established a large translational health services research program based in residential aged care facilities (RACFs), including the Wicking Teaching Aged Care Facilities Program.

Jami Bladel holds degrees in Dramatic Arts (VCA) and Education (UTas) and has been the Artistic Director/CEO of Kickstart Arts since 2006. Prior to that she was the Artistic Director of Big Wig Youth Theatre for 7 years and worked freelance as an actor, writer, director and producer in the community cultural development, live performing arts and film industries, mainly working in Melbourne and New South wales. Jami was a member of the Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council to the Tasmanian Minister for Health and on the Leadership group of the National Arts and Health Foundation. Jami’s expertise and responsibilities on the Kickstart Arts board include artistic vision and  leadership,  strategic planning and social entrepreneurism.

MOVERs + SHAKERs

What:  A fun workshop to move the body, awaken creativity and join a community of movers and shakers. Each workshop will include fun and simple stretches, creative movement and a chance to learn some of the dances performed by MADE.

Why:

The Movers + Shakers program provides therapeutic and recreational movement opportunities for people with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their significant others.  The program is designed to help people with PD improve their quality of life through enhanced overall physical well-being, social interaction and creative expression with targeted improvements in Parkinson’s symptoms – including balance, strength and mobility.  The program is led by professional teachers from the Mature Artists Dance Experience (MADE) and international teacher, choreographer and dancer Kelly Drummond Cawthon and combines elements of contemporary and social dance.

Arts + Health  Workshop Program

Through fun, accessible and challenging workshops, local and international workshop leaders will share their creative process, enticing, provoking and inspiring local participants to engage physically, socially and creatively. Participants will be welcomed, inspired and embraced to watch, participate and experience new ways of moving. Workshops will include dance for fitness, dance for people with Parkinsons, dance for life, dance making and flashmob performance opportunities.