Dance and Mental Health In Schools and Beyond – A Day of Inspiration

31 August 2024, 10:00-17:00, creative House of EliŠka Pešková in Smíchov

This full day of inspirational sessions for teachers and other helping professionals will examine the positive impact that movement and dance can have on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. Together we will explore themes of resilience, identity, self-worth and belonging through theoretical frameworks and practical activities. Participants will gain insights and ideas for body and movement-oriented approaches to health and wellbeing both in and outside of the school environment. 

Since 2017, the UK’s Company Chameleon has utilized the language of dance as a tool to strengthen confidence, community and hope among youth. Its director Anthony Missen and members of the company will start off the day by sharing the Company’s aims and experience. 

Other facilitators of the day’s sessions include: 

• Robert Janč, hospital clown, actor and teacher, giving us a taste of the Learning by Circus project for schools; 
• Glynis Hull-Rochelle, somatic therapist, circus pedagogue and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) school guide, sharing SEL principles and activities; 
• Laura Henderson, art therapist and researcher from the Association for Creativity in Education, presenting an interdisciplinary creative education school project focusing on students’ wellbeing and empowerment. 

Program:

• 10:00 Introduction
• 10:45-13:00 Company Chameleon, Learning by Circus
• 13:00-14:00 Lunch Break
• 14:00-16:00 Creative Education, Social Emotional Learning
• 16:00-17:00 Q & A, Discussion
• 17:30 Site-specific performance of UMBRA by Company Chameleon

Theoretical Introduction
Anthony will give a presentation on embedding principles of coaching to enhance dance training, and practical tips for planning and delivering work in creative health to young people, to:

• Create a safe and supportive environment
• Enhance communication and understanding
• Address diverse needs and abilities
• Promote mind-body connection
• Foster empowerment and resilience
• Ensure ethical and professional conduct
• Encourage participation and engagement

Workshop by Anthony Missen and Company Chameleon
Company Chameleon Artistic Director Anthony Missen will offer tools and exercises suitable for a variety of contexts, from working with young people, adults with no prior movement experience, to professional dance artists. These offerings invite participants at the conference to ask questions of themselves, to further understand their default preferences, and discover creative approaches to generating movement language. The workshop explores listening through touch, trust and a dash of laughter along the way!

Learning by Circus with Robert Janč
A body in motion = a brain in motion. Why use circus techniques in the classroom, and how?  Learning by Circus offers training in adaptive juggling exercises to support children’s development in coordination and motor skills, mathematical thinking, patience and spatial orientation; social skills, and more. Teachers can integrate these exercises into their classroom routines or use them one-on-one with struggling students.

Social Emotional Learning with Glynis Hull- Rochelle
Glynis will introduce the vision, principles and competencies of the Social Emotional Learning curriculum and invite participants into embodied and fun practices for teaching young people crucial life skills, from self awareness to responsible decision making.

Creative Education Presentation by Laura Henderson
The Association for Creativity in Education (SPKV) has over 10 years of experience in developing and delivering interdisciplinary programs in schools. Laura will share the evidence-based conceptual models that underpin their work. These models can be used to set goals for and measure the impact of educational interventions that aim to develop creative thinking, wellbeing and youth participation in the classroom. 

Session Leaders: 

Since 2017, Company Chameleon has been exploring the relationship between dance and mental health, using dance and movement as a creative and emotional vehicle to positively impact mental health and wellbeing. From dancing in prisons and secure mental health wards to exploring mental health through creative movement in schools. Company Chameleon delivers a wide range of bespoke projects driven by their belief in the transformative power of dance.

Anthony Missen is a Clore Fellow, a Without Walls Board Director, a member of the Greater Manchester Culture Steering Group, an Executive Member of Dance Consortia North West, a member of The UK Dance network, and part of the Manchester Cultural Leaders group. He is a founding Director of New Movement Collective and co-founder of Company Chameleon. He received formal training at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance and went onto dance with companies including Scottish Dance Theatre, Mad Dogs Dance Theatre, Cie. Willi Dorner (Vienna), and choreographers including Rui Horta, Didi Veldman and Liv Lorent. Movement Direction credits include Dundee Rep Theatres production of Playhouse Creatures (2007) & Romeo and Juliet (2008), Oresteia at HOME Manchester (2015), Terra, for National Theatre (2019), Alice for HOME Manchester 2021, and The Glass Menagerie for The Royal Exchange Theatre and national tour. He was the choreographer for the hit Netflix series “Fool Me Once” (2024) and series movement director for the BBC one drama series “Everything I Know About Love” (2021/22)

Anthony has taught in most major British contemporary dance institutions, to several professional dance companies and in many countries including South Africa, Ethiopia, Israel, Palestine, South Korea, Trinidad, Morocco, Sweden, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Finland, Slovenia and Austria. He has led many Choreographic and skills-based Residencies. He has worked as a facilitator for The National Theatre for their Theatre Nation Partnerships programme. He is an accredited coach.

Laura Henderson as a research assistant at Charles University, Laura explored the connections between creative education, youth participation, wellbeing and futures thinking. She is a qualified art therapist and co-founder of Queer & Trans Youth CZ. In her work at the Association for Creativity in Education she draws on her academic, activist and therapeutic experience for using art to generate personal and societal transformation.

Glynis Hull-Rochelle is a drama therapist, somatic therapist and coach, and circus pedagogue involved in social circus projects supporting holistic health. She is a co-author of the book Circus Clinic: Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Contemporary Circus. Invested in trauma healing and prevention, Glynis believes that slowing down, reconnecting to nature, and practicing empathy, creativity and joy can move us toward a more just and healthy world. She is co-founder of Queer & Trans Youth CZ.

Robert Janč is a hospital clown, performer, teacher, co-creator of ​​the Happy Brain project and its main proponent. He is dedicated to bringing more movement into educational environments. Holding several leadership roles in the Czech Clown Doctors’ organization, Robert facilitates social circus projects serving children and youth in psychiatric facilities, is on the Clown Doctors’ music therapy team, and acts as a mentor for the Clown Doctors’ rehabilitation team. He is trained in Family Constellations therapy. Robert performs with the clown trio Squadra Sua.

Prize: 600 CZK