• This is a community dance organization providing workshops and classes for people of all ages including older adults. 

• Have a range of dance styles, from ballroom and Latin to contemporary and jazz, with classes adapted to suit different levels of ability. 

Dance voice (bristol) 

• offers dance classes and projects for older adults, and for those with mobility issues or health conditions.  

• They have classes such as seated dance and gentle movements to help promote health and mental wellness. 

Dancesix-o (bristol) 

• They are a contemporary dance company that specialise in teacher older adults 

• They include performance opportunities for over 60s 

Gerrys attic (bristol) 

• They are a group that are accessible to all older adults 

• They design the workshops to meet the needs of the participants 

• Have opportunities to perform for the public 

University of the Third Age (bristol and bath) 

• nationwide organization that offers educational and recreational activities for older adults. 

• The bristol and bath branch offer dance classes too for older adults creating a fun and relaxing atmosphere. 

After helping Vicki at the full bloom festival, the over 55s dance group performed at the Trinity centre for Gerrys Attic dance company that based in Bristol gave me and idea of what I would like to do in teaching.

I have found some classes by Age UK Bath & East Somerset which is an independent charity. They offer a wide range of activities to support older people. 

Age UK offer social groups for elderly people to join which has many activities including exercise as one of them to help keep them entertained and engaged. They currently do not offer any dance classes, and this would be a new way to start a company to include dance for elderly people. This could be put in as a new activity or merge exercise with dance. 

some of the points that the website have listed.

• an understanding of Silver Swans and the responsibilities and expectations of licence holders,

• an awareness of a range of ballet teaching strategies and the benefits of these strategies in relation to the Silver Swans,

• a greater understanding of how to safely modify and deliver ballet repertoire for older learners, and

• a knowledge and understanding of appropriate progression, differentiation and integration considerations for adults of mixed ability.

Gerrys Attic is a company that provides safe, supportive and a creative atmosphere for older adults to get stuck in with exploring creativity in dance.

Funding  

You can apply for funding at Dance Professional Funding to help with starting up.  You need to go through an application process outlining what you need this grant for.  Another place that can grant you funding is from the Arts Council England. They offer diverse types of support such as supporting dance companies, artists, and artist organisations. ACE provide, funding, development opportunities, partnership and collaborations and access to resources.  Esmée Fairbairn Foundation provide funding for organizations working to improve the quality of life through the arts, including dance companies.  To run a dance company, you would need to find a venue for your classes.  You would need to make sure that the venue you choose is accessible for example: having a lift, wheelchair ramp, bathroom with handrails and many more to help with safety for elder people.   Places such as senior centers, community halls, retirement communities, fitness centres, or cultural spaces that have been adapted for older people to be in.    You would need to establish what type of classes you will offer.  Elderly people might have difficulty moving depending on their bodies and you should be aware of any underlying conditions for example arthritis. Places offer a wide range of opportunities for over 55s such as silver swans(ballet), yoga, seated dancing for any vulnerable dancers, ballroom and many more. You want to create a fun and social environment for them. 

Community dance is about coming together as a community and being able to explore new creative aspects together and socialising and being able to communicate with one another. 

To start a community dance, you need to identify your theme of what you would like to create, then having a target audience for example anyone can be welcome or certain age groups etc. For example, Yama dance company offer community dance for over 60s to create a dance piece to perform. 

The same as starting your own company, you would also need to apply for funding to help support your dance. You need to also advertise once you have got your funding, this can be done in anyway however depending on the age group different ways of advertising might help for example if they are older they might not be as tech savvy as the younger generation so maybe announcing this on the radio is an option or if it is targeted at younger people posting it online or on social media could be a way to get people to sign up. 

You will also need to find a venue to host these dance lessons, for example you could look at places to hire for example a community centre, school gymnasium, church hall, somewhere that is big enough and affordable and safe to dance in. 

Prices of classes should be thought of weather you would like a fee, or you can join for free. You should also consider how much you will be paying for the venue when looking at prices. 

The company is led by Artistic Director Eleanor Duval, who collaborates on a regular basis with guest choreographers to produce both live performances and film projects with them.

Yama dance company have had many performing opportunities in Bath Fringe Festival and WOMAD Festival.

They also have some performances they have done.

These are, "Speed of Life" by Eleanor Duval, "WONDERLANE" by Xavier de Santos, and "The Waves" by Roseanna Anderson. Having these chances to perform helps them to explore different themes in a creative way.

Also, seeing different dance schools offer classes for the elderly opened my eyes on how accessible dance can be for everyone no matter what age they are, and opening new opportunities for them.