Seated dance therapy sessions are being held regularly across South Yorkshire and Derbyshire by the non-profit organisation Dancing for Health CIC, providing free classes to people managing a range of medical conditions including strokes, cancer, arthritis and neurological disorders. These sessions, funded by Sheffield Hospitals Charity, combine physical activity with social engagement and are helping participants improve their quality of life.

The programme is particularly beneficial for people with dementia, as managing director Tracey Barnes explains: musical memories are stored in the brain region that is last to go with the condition, so music combined with choreographed movement activates multiple brain regions and aids neuroplasticity. Participants like Kay Layton, who has a spinal injury, and Janet Pepler, a stroke survivor, report significant improvements in wellbeing and mood. The sessions also provide additional support through nutritional and general health advice, with staff witnessing notable breakthroughs in non-verbal dementia patients who have begun speaking during activities.