The Dance for Health and Wellbeing programme uses the power of dance to improve people’s health, wellbeing and place in society. This program develops projects that bring together dance artists, charities, community organisations and health and social care partners.
The aim is to see more activity that utilises dance’s wide-ranging physical, social and emotional benefits to support communities and individuals in living well. These projects are designed to contribute to positive health and social outcomes in health and social care spheres, and in communities.
Dance for Parkinson's Scotland
Weekly movement and exercise classes for people living with Parkinson’s, their families, and their carers across Scotland.
Dance in Hospitals
We work with NHS Lothian Charity’s Tonic Arts programme to deliver specialist dance sessions to patients, carers, and hospital staff in clinical spaces in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Past Projects
Lifelines
A dance and social group for adults from our most local communities, using mindfulness, movement, and the arts to support mental wellbeing for those who need it most.
Lifelines has been made possible by funding from the City of Edinburgh Council’s Community Grant Fund.
Dancing On Exhibition archive
Dancing On was a photographic exhibition that ran from November 2024 – January 2025. It was a celebration of the legacies of older dancers across Dance Base’s rich history of dancing through age and loss.
Winter Warmers
Over the winter of 2022-23, Dance Base offered free weekly dance and singing sessions for over 60s as part of THRIVE Edinburgh’s ‘Coorie in for Winter’ warm spaces initiative.
Dance/Connect
Dance Base contributed to a research study exploring whether online group dance can support the social and mental wellbeing of young people living with anxiety.
Sunday Sessions
Work carried out by Dance Base with our neighbours in the City Centre and Southeast of Edinburgh; we shared our space tested out some new opportunities for dance with local community groups. We worked with MILAN Elder Welfare, LEAP, Grassmarket Community Project, Edinburgh Old Town Development Trust, and Valley Park Community Centre.
