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4 Jul 2011 09:42:05
Research on the impact dance can have on young people’s health and wellbeing was a main topic discussed at a University of Bedfordshire conference.
The conference: From motivation to movement: Towards an empirical understanding of the role of dance in health 1st International Congress of Dance in Health, was hosted at the Bedford campus in association with Youth Dance England.
The platform also presented findings
from a recent project called Go Dance 2012, led by the University, in
association with Youth Dance England
and The Junction in Cambridge.
This project involved three schools across Hertfordshire, Norfolk
and Essex undertaking a creative dance
programme. Details of the project were published earlier this year.
The University of Bedfordshire welcomed some 100 researchers and practitioners from across the country including Newcastle University, the Foundation for Community Dance, and, the National Centre for Movement, Learning and Health.
keynote presentations were delivered by renowned dance artist teacher Dr Kitrina Douglas, from the Department of Exercise, Nutrition and Health Sciences at the University of Bristol. Dr Douglas’s speech focused on A Narrative Approach to Health Research in Sport and Dance.
University of Bedfordshire Director of Sport, Professor John Brewer, Professor of Sport, also delivered a keynote speech focusing on the role of dance in promoting a healthy and active lifestyle for a wide range of population groups.
Lead researcher, Elsa Bradley, a lecturer in dance at the Bedford campus organised the conference. Elsa said: “The aim of the conference is to bring different sectors of dance together to share views and research. Recent research is showing there is commonality between different branches of dance defining the health and wellbeing benefits of dance.”
Dance Science is a growing area of research and application in elite, vocational and recreational dance practice both at the University of Bedfordshire and nationally. The University has a long association with movement and dance studies, dating back to the early 20th Century as part of teacher training at the former Bedford College of Higher Education, now part of the present day University.
Performance Dance is one of the fastest growing study areas at the University and the conference featured
the formal launch of the University’s new MSc in Dance Science. Student auditions for the new MSc took place
at the conference and due to high demand, an additional auditions day will take
place at the Bedford
campus on Tuesday, 19 July – see the University’s website for details
Professor Helen Bailey, Head of Division of Performing Arts and English at the University said: “I’m delighted the University of Bedfordshire is at the forefront of dance in health research. The work Elsa Bradley and her colleagues at the University is undetaking is invaluable, bringing together dance researchers and practitioners across the UK.
“Building on the success of this the 1st International Congress of Dance in Health, I’m confident the event will become a bi-annual event in the University’s calendar.”
The Go Dance 2012 project’s findings will also be published in the community dance journal Animated and abstracts will be submitted for peer review in the Journal of Applied Arts and Health.
Latest news» 2011» July» Dance science tops agenda at conference
