Dancing Communities at the clinic La Métairie
Dancing Communities at the clinic La Métairie
A real impact on the health of patients
Open to patients, medical doctors, psychologists, nurses, para-medicals and to the administrative staff of the clinic, the program is an original and innovative way to create new dialogue and interaction between these different partners.
« Dancing together forces us to come out of ourselves. We go towards our partner and by opening, we unlock ourselves. »
Joy, happiness, a positive mood, a sense of lightness and pleasure are among the feelings that the participants described when relating their experience with Dancing Communities.
By concentrating on the movement and listening to others, the participants forgot their sadness and worries. The discovery that they could experience joy and pleasure, even at a time of crisis, gave them hope for the future and a means to face difficulties.
Healthcare providers noticed an “astonishing” change in the mood, in the capacity to interact with others and in the self-confidence of the patients. They attributed this change to the fact that the resources of the participants were valued beyond the symptoms and the illnesses.
« I have seen people laughing who generally never smile. I have seen people, whom we meet every day immersed in their suffering, transformed! »
« It is incredible to see how our inner potential is so easily accessed. If I find myself sad, I can now remember what I was capable of doing, what I am capable of doing. »
Impact on the relationship between patients and health-care providers
Through dancing together, healthcare providers and patients could interact on an equal basis. This experience instilled in patients a stronger sense of independence and in doctors, a new perception of the inner potential of patients.
Learning to be in rhythm with one’s partner through music and movement stimulates socialization. A positive dynamic of valuing and encouraging each other developed in the group from the very first lesson.
These results highlight the therapeutic impact of this approach on the relationship with oneself and with others. By focusing on the resources of the participants, the program enables previously hidden capacities to emerge.
You can find a more detailed description of the results in the document “Evaluation du programme Dancing Communities à la Clinique de la Métairie”. Furthermore, an article about the program at La Métairie has been published on the journal 24 Heures.
« The program enables us all, patients and healthcare providers, to belong to a single group. ‘Labels’ and preconceptions fall. We are all on the same level. It is a very enriching experience! »
