‘Social Steps’ Dance Workshops for Older Adults

Description

The ‘Social Steps’ Dance programme is an incredibly successful project encouraging older adults to meet, move and to make the most of life.

Working in partnership, the Healthy Ireland Coordinator, Galway City Age Friendly Programme, the Galway City Partnership Community (GCP) Development Team and Galway Dance have developed social dance workshops in three of the most socially disadvantaged communities in Galway City.

The project’s origins date back to 2023, when ‘Cupán Ceoil’, funded through the Creative Ireland ‘Creative Health and Wellbeing in the Community’ fund, introduced six-week social dance workshops to three neighbourhoods in the city.

Respected Dance Tutor Niall Doorhy led groups of older adults in sessions incorporating line dancing, set dancing, the Charleston and waltzing over six weeks. Participants attended weekly workshops, developing their skills and abilities while simultaneously strengthening relationships over their tea, coffee and refreshments.

Galway Dance project, an artist-led, non-profit dance organisation, became involved to support the development and design of a sustainable programme for social dance for older adults in Galway City. Guest choreographer and teacher, Phillipa Donnellan hosted three interactive consultative workshops to identify the specific needs of the community and to explore different styles of dance and movement.

Feedback from organisers and participants was very positive, with the overwhelming consensus being that ‘this needs to continue’ and ‘we want this weekly in 2025!’.

A Christmas Dance and Celebration Event was hosted in December 2025 to showcase the skills and abilities of participants and to share the project with the wider community. Dinner was provided for 120 older people, and the event incorporated live music, community and school choirs, and dance. Participants were encouraged to invite a guest with whom they can share their passion for dancing and introduce them to their widened social circle.

The GCP Community Development Team and the Social Prescribing link worker were instrumental in promoting the ‘Social Steps’ workshops and supporting some of the most vulnerable and socially isolated members of the community to attend and get involved.

Following the success of the ‘Cupán Ceoil’ project in 2023 and a six-week pilot of ‘Social Steps’ in 2024, it was proposed that Galway City Council would endeavour to offer weekly sessions in three accessible, local venues. The project is a collaboration between Healthy Ireland, Creative Ireland and the Galway City Age Friendly programme.

‘Social Steps’ has now been running weekly in three locations since January 2025 and is scheduled to continue until December. Galway Dance Teachers Elspeth and Roberta have developed a warm rapport with participants and lead in a variety of fun and accessible dances.

‘The imagination and creative power of older adults is a force to be reckoned with. The singing, dancing and artistic abilities in this room are unmatched. Take pride in your accomplishments and those of your friends and neighbours. Share your skills with your family, especially the younger generations who can benefit so much from the example of their elders.’ – Cllr. Frank Fahy, addressing the audience at the Cupán Ceoil Christmas lunch event

Aim of Initiative

The ‘Social Steps’ initiative aims to:
– Increase the levels of physical activity and wellbeing amongst older adults living in Galway City. Benefits include improved heart and lung functioning, increased muscular strength, improved coordination and balance, flexibility, and overall fitness.
– Enhance the levels of positive mental health amongst older adults living in Galway City. Dance is associated with enhanced mental functioning, improved wellbeing and greater self-confidence and esteem.
– Provide accessible and enjoyable opportunities for connection and reduction of social isolation for older adults living in Galway City. ‘Social Steps’ is free to participants, hosted in accessible and local venues and is suitable for beginners and those with mobility issues or disabilities.
– Skills development of artists and dance teachers in Galway City. Enhancement community outreach and facilitation skills of Galway Dance artists and the development of professional employment opportunities for Galway-based dance teachers.

Who is it aimed at

Older adults (ages 60 years+) living in Galway City.

3 Steps critical to success

1. ‘Cupán Ceoil’ and ‘Social Steps’ Pilot programmes and evaluation:

   In 2023 and 2024, Creative Ireland ‘Creativity in Older Age’ scheme and ‘Galway City Creative Communities Grant’ funded the development and delivery of the ‘Cupán Ceoil’ and the six week ‘Social Steps’ pilot programme respectively.

   Both programmes incorporated dance workshops for older adults living in Galway City and were extremely well received. The ‘Social Steps’ pilot was evaluated using surveys and in-person interviews. Participants gave an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 and praised the variety of dances, opportunity to enjoy exercise and social connection.

2. Collaboration:

   The ‘Social Steps’ initiative represents a collaboration between Galway City Council Healthy Ireland, the Age Friendly Programme, Creative Ireland and the Arts Office, Galway City Partnership and Galway Dance.

   Galway City Council departments have provided funding, resources, coordination and key administrative duties as part of the initiative. Healthy Galway City and the Age Friendly Programme have provided funding for core programme delivery, while Creative Ireland Creative Communities is funding a promotional video and the Arts Office are funding artist training and development.

   Collaborating with the Galway City Partnership Community Development team ensures that community engagement and participation is central to the project and principles of sustainable development, empowerment, inclusivity, social justice, human rights, participative democracy, and equality are applied throughout.

   The Galway City Social Prescribing Service refer and support participants in dance workshops in their communities to address concerns such as social isolation, anxiety, physical health issues and loneliness.

   The GCP Community Development Team and the Social Prescribing link worker were instrumental in promoting the workshops and supporting some of the most vulnerable and socially isolated members of the community to attend and get involved.

3. Consistency and accessibility:

   Since January 2025, Galway Dance teachers have been delivering the ‘Social Steps’ programme in three locations in Galway City. Approximately 20 – 30 participants attend each workshop. Workshops are scheduled to run until December 2025.

   One of the unique features of the programme is it’s accessibility. Workshops are hosted in venues that are situated on transport routes, have ample parking, and are accessible for wheelchair users or anyone with limited mobility.

   The programme is designed with accessibility in mind; dances are suitable for beginners, improvers and anyone with limited mobility or who may be recovering from an illness, injury or surgery. Dancers are encouraged to go at their own pace, shown how to modify moves and welcomed to sit and relax as required.

   Participants are welcome to attend and drop in to workshops as available. There is no requirement to commit to a certain number of workshops and participants can attend as many or as few sessions as they wish.

   By designing for consistency and accessibility, the ‘Social Step’s Dance workshops have become a welcoming, reliable and enjoyable space for all.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Sustainability and longevity:

   It is our aim through the ‘Social Steps’ initiative to offer a regularly occurring, accessible and inclusive dance programme for older adults living in Galway City. We felt that it was important to remove as many barriers to access as possible, including a participation fee.

   However, without a sustainable income, sustainability of the project remains a challenge.

   To ensure the successful future of the programme, organisers are seeking a funding commitment through the Galway City Council Healthy Ireland Programme and the Age Friendly Programme.

2. Operations and logistics:

   Coordinating a programme for between 60 – 90 participants per week across three locations is challenging, although it was agreed that delivery in a participants locale is key to it’s success.

   In order to mitigate any issues that might occur, we rely on a partnership working approach. Positive working relationships between Galway City Council staff, the venue staff and the GCP Community Development Team ensure that communication is ongoing and challenges can be addressed in a timely and effective manner.

3. Generational skills gap:

   The organisers of the ‘Social Steps’ programme felt that it was important to involve Galway Dance to ensure sustainability of the project. Individual dance teachers, through very well received by participants, were both costly and did not present an opportunity for long term programming.

   Galway Dance Teachers are highly experienced and trained predominantly in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance styles. This represented a challenge in the form of a generational skills gap whereby participants are looking to enjoy familiar and traditional styles of dance including waltz, line dancing and jiving and teachers are less confident in these.

   To mitigate this challenge, Galway City Council Arts Office has agreed to fund the delivery of training and professional development for Galway Dance teachers and other artists based in the city and county. The aim is to invite guest dance teachers to work with Galway Dance and their artists to incorporate a diverse selection of dance styles, including line dancing, set dancing, the Charleston, waltzing, and others.

   These training workshops will:
   – Enhance community outreach and facilitation skills of Galway Dance artists
   – Develop professional opportunities for Galway-based dance teachers
   – Allow for skills sharing and networking
   – Develop artists understanding of a variety of dance styles and techniques
   – Improve the offering through the ‘Social Skills’ workshops by introducing new styles of dance and teaching methods

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Increased opportunities for physical activity for older adults living in Galway City.
2. Improvement in levels of positive mental health and wellbeing amongst older adults living in Galway City.
3. Reduction in social isolation for older adults living in Galway City.