Dance and Elderly People: Experience and Meaning
Nita Liem is conducting exploratory research into elderly people and dance, together with Roos van Berkel, Damar Lamers and Jimat Pelupessy. The literature about elderly people and dance primarily focuses on the role of dance in physical health. Little can be found about the aesthetic experience of dance among elderly people. This research will be an ethnographic research that will look in depth at dance among elderly people from different cultural backgrounds. Dance groups will be approached in different districts of Amsterdam: Zuid (South), Zuid-Oost (South-East), West and Noord (North). The main questions are: what is the experience of dance among elderly people? And what kind of role does cultural background play in their dance participation and experience? The role of the dance teacher will also be examined. How does the teacher bring the group together, and how does he or she cater to the different cultural background within the group? This research is an initial phase in the development of an education module for the dance education department.
Biography
During her dance degree at the Academy of Theatre and Dance in Amsterdam, Nita Liem became fascinated by hip-hop dancers in 1986 and she followed their training at close quarters. From 1992 to 2000, she emerged as a physically-minded dance theatre maker, teaching form and movement to young people who were more likely to hang out on the street than visit a theatre. Since 2000, she has been co-artistic leader of dance theatre company Don't Hit Mama. The work of Don't Hit Mama revolves around celebration, dance and awareness. She is now developing as a 55+ dance and movement artist, and investigates the significance of dance with increasing age.
Publicatie
- Berkel, R., Heijnen, E. (2020) ‘Daag mij maar uit!’ Dans en ouderen in grootstedelijke context.Amsterdam, NL: Lectoraat Kunsteducatie, Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten. (m.m.v. Damar Lamers, Jimat Pelupessy, Nita Liem)