Enhancing Cultural Understanding and Social … Cultural Understanding and Social Engagement Through...
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Enhancing Cultural Understanding and Social Engagement Through Dance and Movement with Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Chandni Parikh, MS 1 and Yumi Shirai, PhD 2 1 University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; 2 ArtWorks, Sonoran University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona BACKGROUND Over the years, dance has been utilized as a therapeutic approach for aiding individuals with sickness, birth, death, and overall well-being (Strassel et al., 2011). Many interventions that adopt dance and movement into their practice have demonstrated positive outcomes in terms of physical activity, mobility, and community participation (Podgorski et al., 2004; Ritter & Low, 1996). Due to numerous reasons, a group that experiences lower levels of physical activity and community engagement includes individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) and Developmental Disabilities (DD). Currently, an estimated 4.6 million Americans face some form of an ID or DD (American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, 2011). Such individuals experience high rates of chronic diseases associated with a lack of sufficient physical activity, resulting in increased barriers to long-term health and well-being (Martin, 2014; Peterson, Janz, & Lowe, 2008). While numerous studies have shown the positive impact of physical activity, there remains a lack of sufficient curriculums that are not only age- appropriate, but are also appropriate for the provided skillsets of adults with ID and DD (Heller, Hsieh, & Rimmer, 2003; Heller, Fisher, Marks, & Hsieh, 2014). An innovative approach to dance includes the classical Indian dance form, Bharatnatyam. Bharatnatyam provides an environment for structured, flexible physical movements along with storytelling. By allowing the artists to explore classical Indian dance music and movements, the goal is to increase not only cultural awareness, but also to provide a pathway for integrating motor, social, and communicative ways to increase participation and community engagement. CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION & ASSESSMENTS • In the current study, we developed and implemented a classical Indian dance curriculum for 10 adults with various levels of ID and DD, ranging in ages from 30-70 years. • Each class lasted 30 minutes over the course of 12 months. • Assessments included: informal pre- and post-surveys, observation notes taken by the implementer, and post group interviews Typical weekly class activities included: • Warm up breathing exercises • Stretching • Movement with targeted large muscles • Introduction to classical hand gestures “Mudras” • Classical Indian dance routine • Creative dance with Indian music and props such as sticks • Cool down stretching • Cool down breathing exercises OBJECTIVES The purpose of this demonstration poster is to describe an instructional dance and movement curriculum for a group of individuals with ID, DD, autism, and other cognitive disabilities. By utilizing a person- centered model, a traditional Indian dance curriculum was adapted to promote and enhance cultural understanding, socialization, and community engagement. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This curriculum was supported by the Sonoran University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and ArtWorks. The authors would like to thank the artists, their families, students, and staff members for their collaborative efforts. RESULTS Overall, the artists had a positive experience with the curriculum. Participants’ knowledge and familiarity with Indian dance, and dance in general, improved as: a) Participants were able to recognize: • Indian music with certain rhythms (“Drum with the dance”); • Several hand gestures (“I liked the lotus”); • That movement and storytelling can be closely tied together, (“At Halloween parties with the sticks now”). b) Engagement and Community Participation through rhythmic music and gestural components, participants are: • Motivated to be part of the movement activities for an extended time (“I love dancing” and “It makes me happy and excited”); • Able to cognitively retain new information over an extended time (“I like the peacock” as they were able to perform at the family event); • Able to use movements and gestures as expressive media (“Guitar with the sticks”); • Able to work in a group with a wide range of abilities. SIGNIFICANCE The current curriculum is adapted for a group of adults with ID, DD, and other cognitive challenges that goes beyond traditional dance and movement. The curriculum piques their interests through cultural awareness in order to promote community participation and engagement. Through the use of rhythmic movements and musical instruments once a week, a multisensory experience is provided for non-traditional artists to express their creativity and non-verbal ways of communication. Future research could benefit from conducting more case studies and intervention research to see how this innovative person-centered dance curriculum could alter the artists’ socialization, well-being, and health.
Transcript of Enhancing Cultural Understanding and Social … Cultural Understanding and Social Engagement Through...
Enhancing Cultural Understanding and Social Engagement Through Dance and Movement with Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Chandni Parikh, MS1 and Yumi Shirai, PhD2 1University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona; 2ArtWorks, Sonoran University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
BACKGROUND
Over the years, dance has been utilized as a therapeutic approach for aiding individuals with sickness, birth, death, and overall well-being (Strassel et al., 2011). Many interventions that adopt dance and movement into their practice have demonstrated positive outcomes in terms of physical activity, mobility, and community participation (Podgorski et al., 2004; Ritter & Low, 1996). Due to numerous reasons, a group that experiences lower levels of physical activity and community engagement includes individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) and Developmental Disabilities (DD).
Currently, an estimated 4.6 million Americans face some form of an ID or DD (American Association on Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, 2011). Such individuals experience high rates of chronic diseases associated with a lack of sufficient physical activity, resulting in increased barriers to long-term health and well-being (Martin, 2014; Peterson, Janz, & Lowe, 2008). While numerous studies have shown the positive impact of physical activity, there remains a lack of sufficient curriculums that are not only age-appropriate, but are also appropriate for the provided skillsets of adults with ID and DD (Heller, Hsieh, & Rimmer, 2003; Heller, Fisher, Marks, & Hsieh, 2014).
An innovative approach to dance includes the classical Indian dance form, Bharatnatyam. Bharatnatyam provides an environment for structured, flexible physical movements along with storytelling. By allowing the artists to explore classical Indian dance music and movements, the goal is to increase not only cultural awareness, but also to provide a pathway for integrating motor, social, and communicative ways to increase participation and community engagement.
CURRICULUM DESCRIPTION & ASSESSMENTS
• In the current study, we developed and implemented a classical Indian dance curriculum for 10 adults with various levels of ID and DD, ranging in ages from 30-70 years.
• Each class lasted 30 minutes over the course of 12 months.
• Assessments included: informal pre- and post-surveys, observation notes taken by the implementer, and post group interviews
Typical weekly class activities included:
• Warm up breathing exercises
• Stretching
• Movement with targeted large muscles
• Introduction to classical hand
gestures “Mudras”
• Classical Indian dance routine
• Creative dance with Indian music
and props such as sticks
• Cool down stretching
• Cool down breathing exercises
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this demonstration poster is to describe an instructional dance and movement curriculum for a group of individuals with ID, DD, autism, and other cognitive disabilities. By utilizing a person-centered model, a traditional Indian dance curriculum was adapted to promote and enhance cultural understanding, socialization, and community engagement.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This curriculum was supported by the Sonoran University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities and ArtWorks. The authors would like to thank the artists, their families, students, and staff members for their collaborative efforts.
RESULTS Overall, the artists had a positive experience with the curriculum. Participants’ knowledge and familiarity with Indian dance, and dance in general, improved as:
a) Participants were able to recognize: • Indian music with certain rhythms (“Drum with the dance”); • Several hand gestures (“I liked the lotus”); • That movement and storytelling can be closely tied together,
(“At Halloween parties with the sticks now”). b) Engagement and Community Participation through rhythmic
music and gestural components, participants are: • Motivated to be part of the movement activities for an extended
time (“I love dancing” and “It makes me happy and excited”); • Able to cognitively retain new information over an extended
time (“I like the peacock” as they were able to perform at the family event);
• Able to use movements and gestures as expressive media (“Guitar with the sticks”);
• Able to work in a group with a wide range of abilities.
SIGNIFICANCE
The current curriculum is adapted for a group of adults with ID, DD, and other cognitive challenges that goes beyond traditional dance and movement. The curriculum piques their interests through cultural awareness in order to promote community participation and engagement. Through the use of rhythmic movements and musical instruments once a week, a multisensory experience is provided for non-traditional artists to express their creativity and non-verbal ways of communication. Future research could benefit from conducting more case studies and intervention research to see how this innovative person-centered dance curriculum could alter the artists’ socialization, well-being, and health.
