Settling in and the Year Ahead By Lynn Shaw
- michellesoto2
- 8 hours ago
- 3 min read
From the Archive: written January 2025
My post as Dance Development Manager for Citymoves’ Health Pillar has been a perfect match for me. Having recently trained in Italy as a Holistic Counsellor and worked many years ago for Citymoves as a freelance tutor, leading classes and projects over a wide range of communities, I understand the importance of building safe, inspiring and impactful projects.
I have witnessed the positive changes that can emerge through the joy of movement and its connection to others. I am excited to weave my experience as a holistic counsellor into some of the projects at Citymoves that require sensitivity and knowledge of emotional and mental wellbeing and promote the physical side of connecting with our bodies. Within this role, I want to nurture and invest in the dance leaders who deliver these projects so they feel inspired to give their participants the most rewarding experience possible.
Over the years, I have repeatedly heard the phrase, “Dance is not for me.” I am excited to say that over the last four months, since I have been in post, I have witnessed precisely why dance is for Everyone and Anyone! Whether you have limitations in range of movement or restricted abilities, dance can stimulate all our senses. It creates interaction, conversation, and connections and boosts well-being. It allows a space to lose yourself and enjoy expression.
I have always believed that we should never stop learning from young children and the elderly - they have a freedom within, and no inhibitions.
As adults we often move away from the joys of artistic expression and aim to be play it “safe” When I engage with children and the residents in the care homes I am reminded of how important it is to laugh and be silly. I am left uplifted. I see it in the dance tutors too.
Our health pillar spans over numerous projects working with inclusive groups of all ages. The Dance for Parkinson's weekly classes continue with a live musician and social time to connect and interact. More recently, the team has started to pilot our Dance for Dementia project, which is delivered in local care homes. This project is pure joy watching the residents respond to the live music, which evokes memories and stories for them. There is such beauty in being playful with props and sensory materials and encouraging creativity amongst the residents. Most of all I love watching how the participants embrace the joy of touch and dancing together.
Horizons, our inclusive youth performance group for individuals with and without additional support needs, is growing as well. This year, they are excited to have performance opportunities at Citymoves’ Spring Show, The Horizons Gathering in Inverness, and Light the Blue Festival. Working with local and national organisations is at the core of what Citymoves does, which means we have partnerships to allow our groups to be involved in innovative and inspiring opportunities.
Citymoves’ Strive project has been established since 2017. Weekly sessions are delivered in regeneration areas in Aberdeen supporting young people to build on confidence and self-esteem. During these classes young people learn various dance styles with chances to perform their work throughout the year. The team have recently been engaged in trauma-informed training, which aims to understand young people and their experiences so we can respond to their needs using play, empathy and curiosity. As a team we want to give them the best possible learning experience and positive outcomes for their future.
I am blessed to work in a creative job that is surrounded by people and rooted in human interaction. That goes for the Citymoves team too. We are led by a CEO who inspires and promotes passion in the workplace and we are driven by working as a collective team. The office has a busy, dynamic atmosphere that sparks motivation and care for the work we create.
Needless to say going into 2025 - I am in my happy place.
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