Omagh Integrated Primary School and Omagh Day Centre, for Adults with Learning Disability

Title of Work: Intergenerational Dance Project Here & Now Festival 2023
Arts Care Project Artist: Carmel Garvey 
Art Form: Dance

This year’s Intergenerational Dance Project included Primary 6 pupils from Omagh Integrated Primary School, Omagh Day Centre, and Railway Court Assisted Living.

The groups met in the primary school on a weekly basis, sharing together in Fun Warm-up’s and dance activities. They explored the dance space, becoming familiar with spatial awareness, and different ways of moving the body, making shapes, changing levels, efforts, and relationships together with connections, and moving creatively through shared dance ideas. Relationships were made and friendships were sparked. Intergenerational bridges were crossed, the seeds of empathy and understanding of one another were sewed. Socialisation and communication were strengthened through the great medium of ‘Dancing Together’.

The theme of ‘Living Well - More Tales to Tell’. Was used to bring the dance ideas into a Final Choreographed Dance Performance.

The dance performance reflects ‘friendship’ ‘support’ and ‘togetherness’. With the framework of ‘Laban Dance’ and threading elements from the theme ‘Living Well - More Tales to Tell’, the participants came together sharing their unique movement ideas, which developed into individual and creative dance sequence’s encouraging socialization and communication.

Together, friendships and connections were made in a fun and relaxed environment.  The final Dance Performance delivers the message of ‘Inclusion’.

Participants - Supported by the staff from Omagh Day Centre for Adults with Learning Disability

Kevin Hagan, Aaron Southall, Kathleen McCallan, Siobhan McCallion,
Declan Baxter, Manus McGaughey, Kevin McGirr, Ryan McCann and Sean Donaghy

Railway Court Supported Living Facility

Francis Meenagh

Omagh Integrated Primary School Children:

Layna, Ryan, Ava, Thomas, Jack, Mollie, Nathan, Aden, Brooklyn, Finn, Jessica, Nathaniel, Sadie, Dylan, James, Riley, Emelia, Anna, Lucy, Alfie, Shay, Noah, Lila, Georgia, Kay, Caleigh, Callum, Alfie, Emily, Willow, Jack, Flynn and Maya.

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Omagh Integrated Primary School and Omagh Day Centre,
for Adults with Learning Disability