Building on the eight year success of Mocean’s Library series Moving with Mocean, Communities in Mocean - Older Adults Centre Stage is a new program that supports retirees and seniors to take part in a community-led artistic process building their own dance creation for a public sharing.
Stories to share side by side (2024) Created and performed by Communities in Mocean participants and Mocean dance artists. Photo by Kevin MacCormack.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Two groups of participants meet weekly at two locations - Halifax Central Library and Northwood Central to engage in a creative process for a new community-led and community-centered dance creation. Both groups join together to share in public performances at the Northwood Centre Auditorium and Halifax Central Library’s Paul O’Regan Hall.
The goal of Communities in Mocean - Older Adults Centre Stage is to bring the social participation and inclusion of seniors to the forefront of dance participation. Mocean specializes in community engagement, using dance as a vehicle to bring health and wellness, improve social well-being, and boost community vitality through the joy of the movement arts.
Join us, let your inner dancer shine!
How to Participate
Communities in Mocean - Older Adults Centre Stage will run again January to March 2025. Pre-registration is encouraged - fill out our registration form to reserve a spot at your preferred location. Drop-ins are also welcomed.
This winter join dance artists from the local dance company Mocean Dance to expand your dance practice and engage in a creative process. Together you will engage in artful play, explore storytelling through dance and drama tools, move together in community and create your own choreography and group dance together. Older adults, retirees, and seniors will contribute their stories, ideas, and more, as you work towards the final presentation day to share the new dance creation. This is an eight-week program, drop-ins are welcome but attending each week is recommended. This activity group will develop into a spring performance opportunity on March 30 (Northwood) and April 2 at the Central Library!
HALIFAX CENTRAL LIBRARY SCHEDULE
Mondays, 1:00 - 2:15 PM, BMO Room | Program Dates: Jan 27, Feb 3, 10, 24, Mar 3, 17, 24, and March 10 (at Halifax Dance)
NORTHWOOD CENTRAL SCHEDULE
Mondays, 10:30 - 11:30 AM | Program Dates: Jan 27, Feb 3, 10, 24, Mar 3, 10, 17, 24
PUBLIC PERFORMANCE DATES
Northwood Central Auditorium, Saturday, March 30 at 2pm
Halifax Central Library, Wednesday April 2 at 7pm
registration NOW OPEN!
Note: Our second community program, Moving with Mocean - runs Fridays from 1:00-2:00 at the Halifax Central Library from January 10 to 31
Click below to watch the full performances from our 23/24 Communities in Mocean program:
Northwood Central Cohort
Halifax Central Library Cohort
The Benefits of Dancing Together
“Dancing increases cognitive acuity at all ages. It integrates several brain functions at once — kinesthetic, rational, musical and emotional — further increasing your neural connectivity” - Richard Powers, Stanford University
Moving with Mocean. Photo by Kevin MacCormack.
Dance is a wonderful tool for joyful exercise, aligning the body and brain connection, and bringing awareness to one’s breath and the people and space around you. Dancing uses both hemispheres of the brain to coordinate physical action and field of vision, promoting three-dimensional thinking and spatial use. Dance strengthens muscles, while also fine tuning the communication between the frontal cortex and the cerebellum.
The physical and mental health benefits of dance are extensive. Whether standing or seated, learning new dance steps improves muscle tone and strength, posture, balance and flexibility; increases circulation, coordination, agility and the ability to adapt/escape injury when falling; and builds stronger bones, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Dance brings many mental and emotional benefits: improving memory, mood and self-esteem; easing loneliness, anxiety and depression; and bonding with others through fun social interaction. The sense of community built through the joy of dancing, and feeling a sense of belonging together, is a tool for well-being and expression that can not be underestimated.
Support healthy aging for seniors
After seeing the profound impact of our pilot program, we want to bring Communities in Mocean back to Northwood Central and the Central Library every year!
As a new program, we need new partners to help us keep dance alive in these communities.
This is an exciting opportunity for sponsors and donors to step up and show their support for health, and joyful connection for seniors at all levels of mobility and independence.
Contact us today to talk about our corporate sponsorship benefits
- or donate now to make an immediate impact!
