Laura Sarah Dowdall is pleased to offer workshops on an ongoing basis, based on the concepts and ideas explored as part of Running Blind.

The integrated workshops inspire all ages and abilities to dance!

Encouraging people to reconnect with their bodies, their senses and natural creativity! It improves self- confidence, body-awareness, social skills, physical and mental wellbeing.

This workshop programme has been developed in collaboration and exchange with members of the blind community.

It featured as the cover-story of Health & Living in the Irish Independent in 2018-

“Dancing in the dark – A pioneering dance workshop is helping people experience the world without sight.”

WORKSHOP DATES

2021 Workshops Online for People with Vision-Loss:

In collaboration with Vision Sports Ireland-

Monday 10 am: Yoga + Somatic Movement

Saturday 10 am: Dance for Wellbeing

To register contact Vision Sports Ireland – padraig.visionsports@ncbi.ie

2019 Workshop Dates:

Starts March 27th, 5-week term with gap week for Easter (April 17th)

DANCE FOR ALL is a fun, social way to improve balance, coordination, physical health & mental wellbeing!

Workshops invite people of all ages, abilities, all levels of vision & hearing to dance!

The workshop includes warm up, chair yoga, breathing practices to calm the body and mind, dance exercises, creative movement, improvisation to music, partner-work and dance theatre games.

Workshops are 90-minutes long each week.

Register by emailing laura@runningblind.ie with your name, phone number and email address.

DANCE 4 ALL 2019_MARCH 27_Start

2018 Workshops:

Workshop Content

• discovery and expression in dance, 
• increasing their self-confidence and body-awareness, 
• improving their strength, coordination and stability, 
• acquiring practical skills to help them in their environment and in social interactions,
• providing them with a supportive outlet for self expression and creativity, 
• encouraging new friendships and social skills
• improved physical and mental wellbeing

In addition, these workshops facilitate forming new and supportive friendships in an environment that is safe and offers a sense of freedom and creative expression rarely found in day-to-day contexts.

*All benefits are based on direct feedback from participants of a previous programme.

Read Participant Feedback by clicking here!

‘My self-confidence has improved…through this session, I feel good about myself.’ -Workshop participant, Eugene

The programme consists of dance exercises inspired by Contact Improvisation and Contemporary dance practices. The use of touch is essential to the work so participants develop skills in sensing and communicating through touch, enabling them to feel confident in dancing. 

Dance participants will be introduced to Social Haptic Touch, a non-verbal language that was developed as a short hand form of communication for people who are deafblind which offers additional value for those who are blind especially in relation to giving and receiving directional and environmental information. Laura has had training and direct mentoring from the developers of this communication model.

Workshop participants taking part in a ‘mapping’ exercise.

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Each workshop is customised to the participants’ needs and abilities. The existing programme has been developed through extensive collaboration with blind participants, including Walei Sabry (New York). Participants to date have cited increased self-confidence, heightened spatial awareness, and a strengthened ability to ‘listen’ through their senses (especially through their feet) which has dramatically improved and supported their daily lives.

Who are the workshops suitable for?

• Everyone of all ages and abilities who wish to explore dance and it’s breadth of communication possibilities, the subtlety of the senses and social haptic touch; this includes people of all levels of vision and ability
• Artists, actors, dancers, therapists, social care workers, social studies students, communications students
• Workshops are also great for team building events and integrated community workshops for anyone looking to improve their personal awareness and non-verbal communication skills

Enquiries

If you would like to book a workshop with Laura, simply send an email to laura@runningblind.ie referencing ‘RB Workshop’ in the subject line.