Policy into practice - Dance programmes
Anne Longfield
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Issue: With the government on a mission to tackle the nation's obesity crisis, support for programmes that promote active and healthier lifestyles is crucial.
There is plenty of research showing that active children tend to become active adults, but they need to be given the support to turn physical activity into a lifelong habit.
Young women are particularly at risk of leading sedentary lives, possibly due to a lack of appealing options for them or a perceived gender bias around sport. One easy and enjoyable way to encourage physical activity among young women and girls, which is often overlooked, is through dance programmes. Dance can be particularly attractive to young women as a physical activity, with the added benefit that it boosts self-confidence and provides an outlet for creative expression.
CASE STUDY 1
Dance Action Zone Leeds (DAZL) is a community dance project with the primary aim of improving the mental and physical health and wellbeing of young women in disadvantaged communities in south Leeds. DAZL offers a wide range of dance programmes, including after-school classes, holiday schemes, youth dance leadership training courses and development of local youth dance groups.
With the need to engage disadvantaged young women in physical activity firmly in mind, DAZL targets young people of all shapes and sizes and has been successful in involving generally disaffected young people. Supported by NHS Leeds and Leeds City Council, DAZL is unusual as a dance project because of its overt health agenda, demonstrated by the presence of health professionals at its dance workshops.
CASE STUDY 2
The Dance for Life Project was set up by Bradford Council to engage young people in healthy activities, thereby combating the high levels of coronary heart disease in the city. The dance tutors receive special workshops on health and how to promote active lifestyles. Offering a variety of different dance styles, such as breakdance, street dance and Bollywood, the project attracts young men and women from diverse communities. Sixty-one per cent are from black and minority ethnic communities, with the result that the project is having an impact among some of those most at risk of heart disease in the area.
The principal reasons people in the community give for attending the classes is they are "fun and enjoyable" and "good for my health".
