2025 Conference co-produced by CATA-ACAT and OEATA
CATA-ACAT - Canadian Art Therapy Association - l’Association Canadienne d’Art-Thérapie
OEATA - Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association
Hosted by WHEAT - Winnipeg Holistic Expressive Arts Therapy Institute
My presentation:
Expressive Arts Therapy and Dementia: The Big Surprise!
Resource People
A Daily Dose of Music Conference: Creative Caring for Seniors
A conference organized by Lulu Leathley in Vancouver in May 2018
The six presenters listed below all highly experienced in working with seniors and music. I used many of their ideas while working with elders with dementia,
They are excellent resource people and they would be happy to help.
Lulu Leathley (Vancouver, BC)
www.lulujam.com
Jane Bentley, PhD (Glasgow, Scotland)
artbeatmusic.org
Mary Knysh (Bloomsburg, PA)
rhythmicconnections.com
Diana Hull, PA, MPH (Santa Cruz, CA)
mindNhealth.com
Phyllis Mueller (McHenry, IL)
gohealthdrum.com
Tomoko Yokota (Matsuyama, on the island of Shikoku in Southern Japan)
orangeboomboom.com/tt/ (Japanese website)
https://villagemusiccircles.com/playshops-trainings/vmc-certification/tomoko-yokota/ (English website)
Workshops and Courses
Carl Orff Canada
https://orffcanada.ca/home/
Every province has an Orff chapter, such as Orff Manitoba, Orff BC, Ontario Orff Chapter, etcetera.
Cheap membership. Excellent, super-fun workshops several times a year. Chapters usually offer summer intensives too.
Creative Dance Center (Seattle, WA, USA)
with Anne Green-Gilbert
Summer intensives for dance educators focus on teaching creative dance and Brain-compatible dance education.
https://www.creativedance.org/
Brain Dance Information
https://www.creativedance.org/brain-dance/
Les Grands Ballets
Le Centre national de danse-thérapie (CNDT) (Montréal, Québec)
Check out their short video capsules with Brain Dance, creative dance, and stretching, etcetera in the “Video” menu.
https://grandsballets.com/fr/centre-national-de-danse-therapie/a-propos-du-centre/
Rhythm, Rhythm, Rhythm (Edmonton, Alberta)
Drum Circles for Youth Training, Youth Educator Training , and rhythm intensives
with Lucas Coffey
https://www.rhythmrhythmrhythm.com/
Village Music Circles: Facilitating Human Potential Through Rhythm
with Arthur Hull (Santa Cruz, CA)
https://villagemusiccircles.com
Music for People (Immaculata, PA)
Social music improvisation. Workshops for the public, and musicianship and leadership training.
https://musicforpeople.org/
Irene Feher (Montréal, Québec)
Music for People Facilitator and an EXCELLENT singing and improvisation teacher.
EuSing! Improv Singing Sessions every other Tuesday 12 noon EST (Montréal)
ONLINE - check your time zone and see if you can join in. Pay for one class at a time.
https://www.livingyourmusic.com/what-s-coming
Free Resources and Ideas
Playlist For Life (UK)
Free resources to help you create music playlists for people with dementia.
https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/
Real Life Stories - lots of short videos that are very inspiring and touching!
https://www.playlistforlife.org.uk/real-life-stories/
Conductorcise
with Maetro David Dworkin (New York)
Low-impact fitness fusion, and musical workout, done while “conducting” classical music.
https://dworkincompany.com/site/artist/conductorcise/
How Puppetry and Theatre are Helping People with Dementia
ABC News, Australia (Newspaper article)
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-30/benefits-puppetry-to-help-people-with-dementia/100308718
Le Papillon Blanc Danse (Québec City)
L’idée au départ était d’investir les milieux de santé et de rencontrer des personnes vulnérables, malades, en perte d’autonomie par le médium d’une danse contemporaine.
A modern dance company in Québec dedicated to working with vulnerable populations, including the elderly.
See short videos of interactive dance pieces with elders on their page: Médiation culturelle - À la rencontre
https://lepapillonblanc.ca/
Terrapin (Tasmania, Australia)
A groundbreaking program of therapy-informed puppetry in aged care.
https://terrapin.org.au/work/forever-young
YouTube Videos
Former Ballerina with Alzheimer's Performs 'Swan Lake' Dance (2:37 minutes)
I have watched this many times. It is very touching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IT_tW3EVDK8
Ted ED: How Playing an Instrument Benefits Your Brain by Anita Collins (4:44 minutes)
A fantastic short animation that always gets me inspired about practicing or learning a new instrument! Highly convincing of our need to include music education in schools and to continue offering active musical opportunities for the elderly. I’ve watched in many times too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0JKCYZ8hng
Le papillon blanc danse - Québecois contemporary dance company works with vulnerable populations, including the elderly.
“Lorsque la beauté surgit” (3:36 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1feAkkCeok&t=212s
“Rencontre” (6:46 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTVp2i0tI_8
Conductorcise - A Sound Workout for Mind, Body, and Soul with Maetro David Dworkin (4:30 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYlXRkI3Sis
Forever Young Puppetry in Aged Care (Tasmania, Australia) (3:45 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_omHWJhdkDI
Lucidity by On Site Opera
A new opera about Music, Memory Loss and Human Connection (4:59 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ9twH-GuUY
A Panel Discussion about Lucidity
Discussion topic ”Music & Memory” | Renée Fleming, Laura Kaminsky & David Cote discuss with On Site Opera, Seattle (30 minutes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nrXgCBE9F0