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.
The photographs, taken between 2015-2024, featured dancers who have taken part in our public dance classes for over 60s; our in-house performance company for dancers over 60, PRIME; and Dance for Parkinson’s—our programme for people living with Parkinson’s and their families, friends, and carers.
Many of the dancers in these photographs are no longer with us, and Dancing On also provides us with a space to remember those we have lost.
Working with older dancers has always been important to Dance Base. Specialist classes for older dancers have been a core part of our public programme since 2009, and we ensure that older people are included and celebrated in all areas of our work. We know that dance can be a powerful tool to tackle issues affecting older people, such as reduced mobility and social isolation, and conditions such as Parkinson’s and Dementia. We want to change perceptions of aging and ability in dance, and challenge preconceived notions of who can be a dancer.
We have met some extraordinary people across this valuable work. For some, dancing was a lifelong love, but for many others, finding dance and Dance Base was a surprise which grew into a new-found passion. People move on for many reasons, and unfortunately loss has become an inevitable feature of this work. We consider it a great privilege to have played a part in our dancers’ lives and hope to carry their legacies with us into the future.
