Older & Dancing

Green Candle has been committed since 1998 to improving the health and well-being of older people aged 50+ through dance and movement.

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Please note: Green Candle Dance are committed to keeping our participants safe and well. We are therefore following the latest guidelines from the government regarding the Coronavirus – COVID-19 and have suspended all sessions until further notice. Please keep an eye on our website and social media channels for further updates.

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Whether this is dancing or watching other people dancing, moving to the music or even just tapping your toes to the beat, these actions will provide an instant form of creative release that translates into a feeling of well being; helping to encourage the mature person to lead a more fulfilled and socially interactive life.

Green Candle has a long history of working with vulnerable groups in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and has successfully worked with older people to encourage active ageing. They have worked in our residential homes and in hospitals and their work is innovative and exciting. The benefits are supported by health and social care staff as the work promotes both active ageing and addresses social isolation in a supportive environment. And, most importantly, is experienced by our older residents as thoroughly enjoyable.
Barbara Disney, Strategic Commissioning Service Manager

At Green Candle we deliver weekly dance workshops specially tailored to meet the different needs of all our participants, regardless their age, stage or abilities. We have sessions for both active older people (with relatively high level of fitness) as well as for frail older people (seated dance workshops); we also work in hospital rehabilitation wards with patients recovering from falls, surgery, strokes etc; as well as in residential homes, sheltered housing and day centres where people may be at risk of isolation.

Many of our participants suffer various degrees of dementia and the company specialises in leading movement workshops for people with both early and later stage dementia.

Much of our work takes place in boroughs where the levels of economic deprivation impact badly on people’s health. The company works closely with many partners who have identified the need for such activity and value highly both the physical benefits of the work and the impact it has on improving self-esteem and reducing social isolation among their clients. People and agencies are now recognising that the well-being engendered by the physical, social and creative aspects of dance (whether seated or standing) can have a critical effect on health and quality of life.