Mature In Motion Classes
Dance is for everyone! Our 50+ sessions are holistic and relaxed, focusing upon building new friendship groups as well as enhancing health and wellbeing by staying active.
Dancing has a way of taking your cares away and it feels good to the soul, dancing also has some major health perks. Research shows dancing can improve your mental health by boosting your overall happiness.
Dancing can improve cardiovascular health, increase stamina, strengthen bones and muscles, improve balance, improves cognition and memory recall and can stave off illnesses.
Have you ever considered taking a dance class? We offer an option for those who are not so athletic to get some great exercise.
‘You don’t stop dancing because you grow old, you grow old because you stop dancing!’
Creative Movement
A creative dance class for those over 50 who want to express themselves through movement to keep them active and meet new friends. With an aim to improving overall well being this session can be done either seated or standing.
Tai Chi Qigong Shibashi
Qigong (pronounced chee gong) is an ancient Chinese healing art and self-cultivation system. This includes simple, gentle movement, posture, breathing techniques, self-massage and meditation.
“Qi” can be translated as life energy or vital force and “Gong” as cultivation or skill. Thus, when we practise Qigong we are cultivating life energy to improve and balance our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health.
The beauty of Qigong, aside from its incredible healing power, is its suitability for all ages and abilities including those with limited mobility. It requires no special equipment or clothing and can be practised indoors or outdoors.
Qigong energises the body and calms the mind. With daily practise it is effective in preventing disease by strengthening the immune system and clearing energy blockages. Inner peace and inner strength are developed. Qigong is thousands of years old, yet it remains the perfect natural health system for the challenges of modern life.
“Shibashi” means eighteen and Shibashi Qigong is a wonderful set of 18 Qigong exercises practised as a whole for maintaining all round good health and wellbeing. The movements are simple, gentle and flowing, and a joy to practise.
.
Dance with Parkinson’s
Dance can support people living with Parkinson’s to develop confidence, strength and provide the opportunity for creativity and self-expression, whilst also temporarily relieving some participants of symptoms in everyday life.
There’s an increasing appetite for dance these days and the broad ways it benefits our health and wellbeing. This is felt by people of all ages and physical abilities. One group that now attaches particular value to taking part in dance is that of people living with Parkinson’s.
A growing body of evidence points to the real physical, mental and social benefits experienced by people living with Parkinson’s when they dance. For example, research into English National Ballet’s (ENB) dance and Parkinson’s programme, published in 2015 by Dr Sara Houston of Roehampton University, concluded that dance as a group activity can:
- Encourage feelings of inclusion and positive social interaction
- Promote a sense of community that is particularly meaningful, motivating and energising for people living with Parkinson’s
- Aid fluency of movement
- Help people with Parkinson’s communicate and express themselves.
Dementia
Our dancing with Dementia classes offer a chance for participants to experience creative movement and dance with their companions. Classes focus on stimulation of the brain through movement, repetition, props and musical timelines. These factors offer the opportunity to keep the mind alert whilst also unlocking support for general well-being.
These sessions improve memory, it can evoke emotions & create positive moods, it can help with balance, delay age-related decline, generally improving people’s lives.
Our sessions aim to engage and encourage participation, to maximise the health and well being of each individual through a failure free movement approach. The participants are led by the tutor through a fun warm up (upper and lower body) whilst seated. Then creative explorations with props are undertaken and simple sequences are learnt. Every session is about connecting with each other through this shared experience.
Dance Fit
Meet like minded people in our dance fitness sessions which stimulate and challenge you to be the best you can be and live healthy lifestyles. Our dance fitness classes are for anyone over the age of 18yrs. Sessions incorporate various dancehall and RnB movements in an aerobic structure working the following areas; Upper & Lower body, Cardio and Core strengthening. Expect to get a sweat on with these classes!
Bootie Bands – using resistance bands to help you shape and strengthen your core and butt.
Turn D’Up – learn routines to RnB and Dancehall whilst you burn calories and enjoy being part of the tribe
Lets Face The Music And Dance!
Don’t get intimidated because you feel like you’re not a good dancer. Who cares? It’s about you moving your body in your way not like the rest of the people in the class. At Mature in Motion we have just one rule – don’t take yourself too seriously – allow yourself to lose all your inhibitions. Zone out and focus on how great you feel and that no one is judging you.
