Dance Well is an art activity

where you express yourself

with your body

Dance Well can be taken up by anyone, no matter what your age or experience is, whether you’re a child or an adult, including those living with Parkinson’s disease. This has been practiced in the Italian city of Bassano del Grappa since 2013 under the supervision of the performance center, Centro per la Scena Contemporanea (CSC).

The main feature of Dance Well is the focus on art activity rather than acquiring rehabilitation or dance techniques.

Dance Well is held not in training studios or meeting rooms but at art facilities such as art museums. We take an artistic approach whereby participants can set their mind and body free, recognizing everyone’s sense of value and expression of one’s innate uniqueness. The word “well,” aside from meaning “good physical condition,” it also refers to a “source”.

How about joining us to discover the “source” of each of our rich form of expression?

Main features:

- Our aim is artistic activity rather than medical treatment, rehabilitation, or therapy

- Everyone is welcome no matter what your age or experience is, whether you’re a child or an adult, beginning with those living with Parkinson’s disease

- All participants are called “dancers”

- Dance Well is held in art environments where the creativity of dancers can be spurred

- Whether your way of expression is right or wrong is not questioned

- There is no participation fee

- We aim to take root in local communities through continued activity

(Please refer to “What is Dance Well?”)

What is Dance Well?

Parkinson’s disease

Dance Well Ishikawa

Dance Well Ishikawa is a voluntary group based in Kanazawa, Japan. In August, 2018, dance artist Kurumi Nakamura participated in Dance Well teacher training course held at Bassano del Grappa. In November 2018, she became the first Dance Well teacher to be certified in Japan. From this, the Dance Well Ishikawa was formed in December 2018 with five individuals. Since 2019, Dance Well classes have been regularly held in Kanazawa.

Activities of Dance Well Ishikawa is supported by subsidies and donations from the public.

Activities of Dance Well Ishikawa is supported by
subsidies and donations from the public.

Dance Well Ishikawa
The Hokkoku Bank Musashigatsuji branch
Ordinary 13227

Commissioned by Kanazawa City in the fiscal year 2020

助成：澁谷学術文化スポーツ振興財団（2022年度）

Members

Kurumi NAKAMURA

Co-Director / Dance Well teacher

Born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. Dance artist.

As a recipient of the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Program of Overseas Study for Upcoming Artists, received a diploma from the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, England.

At various welfare service agencies for those with special needs within the prefecture, Nakamura has been continuously carrying out “Dance lessons” in order to share valuable time with various people, while carefully valuing one’s breathing, spirit and body.

In August 2018 she completed the Dance Well teacher Course in Bassano del Grappa, Vincenza province, Italy, which was aimed at local residents including those living with Parkinson’s disease. In December of the same year she founded Dance Well Ishikawa and hosts Dance Well classes in various art spaces around Ishikawa.

https://sokonidance.com/

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Momoyo MATSUDA

Class Assistant

Born in Ishikawa. Matsuda began learning classical ballet from the age of 5. Now active as a dancer while working as a Body Care Therapist and after-school day-care service dance teacher.

Yuko KURODA

Co-Director / Production

In the summer of 2018, Kuroda participated along with Kurumi Nakamura in the Dance Well teacher training Course, Italy. She founded Dance Well Ishikawa with 5 members which she now runs. Living in Kanazawa since 2008.

Yoko UEDA

Production

Born in Kanazawa, Ishikawa. Since 2009, Ueda has been the permanent staff/director of NPO Kanazawa Artgummi.

Schedule

There is no participation fee for Dance Well. Classes are regularly held in various venues in Kanazawa, Ishikawa.

Feedback from Participants

From those living with Parkinson’s disease:

❝This was a wonderful event. You can relax your body and free your spirit: you have a warm feeling all over. A gentleness is naturally born. It’s very comfortable because there’s a diversity of participants❞

❝I could have a different experience and feeling compared to normal rehabilitation. It’s important to have times when you forget your disease❞

❝Joining a Dance Well session, I felt like I was coming out of my shell. I directly felt how wonderful it was to communicate with others by movement rather than discussion❞

❝It was my first time, so I was very excited to join. Although I’m able-bodied, I felt the sense of reassurance through each and every movement. It was also fun to use creativity, which involves movement completely different than that in our daily lives. I was very happy to participate and apply an artistic element to express myself. I was able to become interested in original ways of thinking that are separate from set norms such as ‘you have to do it this way’. I think I’ve made some discoveries about myself too. Through free self-expression, I felt that I could put my feelings at ease❞

From family members of those living with Parkinson’s disease:

❝I felt Dance Well’s methodology was effective for minds and bodies that are closed and stiff. It's really great that the vertical hierarchy that is sometimes found in the welfare industry is gone, where so-called healthy people tend to think they can give energy to others who aren't❞