News
Dance as an opportunity
This past spring the municipality of Riga’s Education, cultur and sport department Social Integration program project competition supported the LFFA project “Dance as a social inclusion opportunity”.
The goal of the project was to provide child care and therapy for children and young people who have been socialy isolated, through dance and artistic movement. Dance is one of the most successful self-confidence and personal development-boosting methods. How is this so? Dance as an art form is best described as; the spontaneity of improvisation and creativity. Dance as a form of self-expression is useful for overcoming communication barriers. Dance and movement spontaneity frees a person from accumulated negative attitudes, fears, adversity, and stereotypes. Parallel to this process, other beneficial effects of dance have the effect on an individial of becoming more; positive, self-confident, courageous, accepting, sharing, and creative.
Project participants were both children and young people from guardian and foster families as well as the biological children of these families. The total number of participants involved in the project was 25. The project participants were able to have 10 free lessons of "Dance as an opportunity" at the Elza Kronbergas dance studio BUMP. Project participants took part in a 3-day off-site seminar at the Ragaciema guest house 'Smile', where classes were held in a completely different environment that participants were used to, and a group social activity called “DANCE-IDEA” was held at Ragaciema beach. We are very pleased that the project participants have met new friends and like-minded individuals, and have learned new dance moves as a form of expression. Valuable experience was gained as well as the belief that together we stand at the end of a difficult and challenging time. Choosing the dances and dance moves as a tool for the Latvian Foster Association and the target group was a new experience. We are now looking forward to take this newly gained knowledze and expereince and adapt and integrate it to other LFFA organized events and projects.
— July 3, 2014
This past spring the municipality of Riga’s Education, cultur and sport department Social Integration program project competition supported the LFFA project “Dance as a social inclusion opportunity”.
The goal of the project was to provide child care and therapy for children and young people who have been socialy isolated, through dance and artistic movement. Dance is one of the most successful self-confidence and personal development-boosting methods. How is this so? Dance as an art form is best described as; the spontaneity of improvisation and creativity. Dance as a form of self-expression is useful for overcoming communication barriers. Dance and movement spontaneity frees a person from accumulated negative attitudes, fears, adversity, and stereotypes. Parallel to this process, other beneficial effects of dance have the effect on an individial of becoming more; positive, self-confident, courageous, accepting, sharing, and creative.
Project participants were both children and young people from guardian and foster families as well as the biological children of these families. The total number of participants involved in the project was 25. The project participants were able to have 10 free lessons of "Dance as an opportunity" at the Elza Kronbergas dance studio BUMP. Project participants took part in a 3-day off-site seminar at the Ragaciema guest house 'Smile', where classes were held in a completely different environment that participants were used to, and a group social activity called “DANCE-IDEA” was held at Ragaciema beach. We are very pleased that the project participants have met new friends and like-minded individuals, and have learned new dance moves as a form of expression. Valuable experience was gained as well as the belief that together we stand at the end of a difficult and challenging time. Choosing the dances and dance moves as a tool for the Latvian Foster Association and the target group was a new experience. We are now looking forward to take this newly gained knowledze and expereince and adapt and integrate it to other LFFA organized events and projects.