Our three-year creative dance programme, launched in 2022, aims to develop a collaborative and cross-disciplinary approach and foster a non-labelling platform for artistic expression at arts spaces. With a focus on promoting psycho-physical wellbeing through body movement, the programme also aims to complement with conventional rehabilitation to creatively address the symptom-specific concerns of people with Parkinson’s disease.
In our second year, Dance Well teaching artists have successfully established co-creation strategies and specialised teaching approaches for working effectively with people with Parkinson's disease. They have also honed their skills to adapt movement teaching in gallery and museum settings. Through this transformative journey, Dance Well dancers (participants of Dance Well classes) experience psychological and physical empowerment while fostering solidarity and community building.
The Annual Sharing represents a crucial opportunity for mutual exchange, learning, and gaining further insights into improving the lives of the Parkinson's population through the arts. The forum will focus on collaborations and experiences, featuring sharing and discussions between professionals in dance education, social welfare, and the medical field.
Keynotes speakers include Mr Roberto Casarotto, the initiator of Dance Well in Italy and Co-director of Aerowaves, and Prof Sara Houston, Professor of Dance and Community Engagement at the School of Arts, University of Roehampton. Drawing inspiration from the successful Dance Well initiative introduced by the Municipality of Bassano del Grappa, Italy, and the Centro per la Scena Contemporanea in 2013, Mr Casarotto will share their extensive experience in dancing with Parkinson's disease and their elaborate Dance Well network worldwide. Prof Houston will bring insights on the value of dancing for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
The sharing will also include themed panel discussions, inviting representatives from the arts, social welfare, and medical sectors to review current collaborations and the development of dance for social impact and sustainability in Hong Kong.
Join us at the Annual Sharing as we celebrate the transformative power of dance and explore ways to enhance the lives of individuals with Parkinson's disease through artistic expression and community engagement. Together, we pave the way for a brighter future where dance serves as a catalyst for positive change!
賴潔芳（柏友）
在這裡可以放鬆身體，認識了柏友病人組織和更多同路人，更能接觸很多年青人，感受到歡樂和自由，心態也年青了不少，大家總是帶着愉快的心情離開。
Celestine Chan（柏友）
這個舞蹈課能讓我忘卻疾病，我很久沒有以非病患的身份外出。
柏友李寶亭的女兒（一家三口坐輪椅那家人）：
真的想衷心謝謝你們籌辦這次Dance Well課程的所有導師，演藝學院同事，工作人員的悉心安排，讓我和爸媽感受到滿滿的愛🥰唔好意思頭先走得太匆忙，冇辦法親口同你哋講。
我們分別都獲益良多，本來看似只能柏友感受到的獨特體驗，其實我覺得照顧者更能從中得益，因為我們可體會到柏友的努力和他們得到的快樂，同時自己也可釋放自己，給自己放鬆的機會。也正因為你們各方面的付出和對每個參加者的重視和投入，才能讓每一個獨立的參加者都能體驗到課程的精髓😘🙏🏼thank you so much!!!
