How a research-supported dance project is changing lives and shaping policy.

A case study has been published by the University of Leeds Research and Innovation team about the Dance On project.

Physical inactivity in older populations is a health problem that often goes unseen in wider society. But with the UK growing older and more sedentary, how can we get those at greatest risk of falls, dementia and other illnesses to move more? Research led by experts at the University of Leeds is setting the tempo…

Dance and its life-changing impact

In 2015, Sarah Astill was a Lecturer in Motor Control at the University of Leeds. And by her own admission, she definitely wasn’t a dancer.

So when she was asked by Sue Hayton, a colleague in the Cultural Institute who was investigating movement among older people, Sarah never expected to stumble upon a research area that would capture her interest for years to come.

“I was a lab scientist,” Sarah, now a Professor in the School of Biomedical Sciences, recalled. “I tracked movements, I looked at muscles, I studied brain activity.

But I went along for a day and they introduced us all to contemporary dance.”

What happened next?

Impact

• Long-term engagement and sustainability: participants in the Dance On program showed high attendance rates (72% on average), and their increased physical activity levels remained stable over time, highlighting the sustainability of well-designed dance interventions
• Influence on public health strategy: the research provided evidence that dance programs can effectively combat inactivity-related health issues, supporting arguments for long-term investment in such interventions by public health policymakers.

Key information

• Major funders: Sport England
• Partners and collaborators: Leeds City Council, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, City of Doncaster Council, Yorkshire Dance, One Dance UK, darts
• Disciplines: biology, healthcare, exercise sciences
• Investigators: Professor Sarah Astill.