Finding the joy in JOIO
Practitioners Helly and Bethan smiling happily in the company of a goat at the Dementia Matters in Powys Summer Fete.
Hello! Shwmae, Bethan and Helly here - we are Impelo practitioners that have been working on the JOIO project.
JOIO started, for us, in the Autumn of 2020 as a research project aiming to look into whether dancing together could help people to feel happier and healthier, whilst developing a distinctive Impelo methodology for working with people living with dementia and their circles of support. As a result of the project beginning during the national lockdown, we had to quickly adapt to co-delivering online, having never met in person or worked together before! We now consider ourselves a dream team and have mastered the art of reading each other’s minds!
Leaping forward to now, in 2022, we are lucky to be delivering dance in some Dementia meeting centres across Powys and are so excited to be seeing people in real life!
THEN AND NOW…
At the beginning, working online with groups we’d never met was a challenge - be it digital/technical glitches, zoom screen visibility problems or dodgy wifi connections. However, many of these challenges made for valuable reflections and opportunities to problem solve with each group we worked with. This no doubt contributed towards a sense of having built strong relationships with our participants and organisations. This meant, when we were able to meet in person in the Dementia Matters meeting centres, we felt supported by the groups and that we were amongst friends. In fact, a highlight moment for us was when we were invited to Dementia Matters in Powys’ summer fete in September 2020. We particularly enjoyed guessing the weight of the goat and having a sing/dance along with attendees.
As JOIO started as a research and evaluation project, we got into the practice of writing reflective journals for every session we led. This provided the opportunity to learn from those moments that didn’t go so well and look back at some of the beautiful moments we witnessed. From the beginning, JOIO has been a participant-led project. It has been exciting to be able to provide bespoke sessions for our groups, it keeps things fresh for us as practitioners and keeps us on our toes creatively!
A commonality with all groups was the importance of themes - giving the sessions structure and so many ways to link music to our movement. At first, it felt a little gimickey to be working so literally with themes, but we soon realised the power of using real life gestures and motions to get people moving confidently. This also allowed us to plan each session in advance with the group, they were able to give music suggestions (and help us make some pretty tenuous links to the themes).
THE CREATIVE JOURNEY
Quote from a participant that reads: “I feel fit as a fiddle after wiggle with a giggle”
Our sessions have evolved into a combination of some parts being led and more structured - so we can look at mobility and provide a secure focus for those who prefer. At other times we have moments of improvisation - delighting in sharing each other's moves - it's been such an achievement to see participants' confidence build , within a supported framework - to the point they would actually run sessions when we were unable to. In many ways, it has been an experience of embodied learning, all done in a fun, failure-free environment. We’re so happy to hear that participants have decided to take up dancing and continue to find opportunities to dance whenever they can - we all love a kitchen boogie!
“I was hesitant joining the JOIO project at first, nervous about the kind of work it would be. My main experience working with adults prior to JOIO had been as a Pilates teacher, and I assumed I would be used in that kind of capacity. I felt I lacked experience and wasn’t entirely sure it was the kind of work I wanted to do. However, Impelo used a great formula -I worked with Helly, a more experienced practitioner, and the both of us were mentored by Rachel Liggitt (Shropshire Inclusive Dance). Now, these are some of the most rewarding, joyful sessions I lead and I consider them an integral part of my practice - they have helped me find the joy in dancing again (and I hope to spread this in my sessions!).
”
““As we had to start with online sessions I found this quite scary and somewhat intimidating as I am no technical wizard. Fortunately through Bethan and the support of Impelo (especially Jim who had patience in spades and calm in a storm) they got me through! The silver lining to this was that I could most certainly empathise with other participants going through the same “which button to press” anxiety!
We overcame the technical issues and created relationships between myself & Bethan and all those who joined our online sessions and had many laughs and lots of fun together.
So it’s been a joy to take those connections into “real life” sessions and make new ones. - through the power of dance.
I count my lucky stars that I get to do a job that brings me joy and so much more.!
”
The JOIO project has helped us define our roles as dance practitioners - we’ve become connectors that bring groups together who wouldn’t usually meet, and we’ve used dance as the powerful tool it is to bring people together online AND in real life. These sessions have become just as important for us as practitioners as they have been for those attending who are living with dementia, and we hope this is the same for those who attend who are family/carers/volunteers. Long may we leave our JOIO sessions with aching jaws from smiling so much!
Quote from Deborah - Chief Officer, Dementia Matters in Powys that reads: “IT IS SO INVIGORATING AND GREAT TO HAVE ANOTHER WAY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE. I DIDN’T EXPECT TO GET THE ‘BUZZ’ YOU FEEL AFTERWARDS. AND AS WELL AS CONNECTING, YOU GET THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CARDIO, STRETCHING AND THE MUSIC MAKES IT FUN. IT’S A CONTINUOUS CIRCLE OF FEEL-GOOD.”
We’ll leave you with a little video Bethan and Helly made for Dementia Action and Awareness week, 2022… joio! Enjoy!
Beth and Helly lead a short dance routine to “Bring Me Sunshine”