Dance for Dementia
English National Ballet
Vital Arts is proud to partner with English National Ballet (ENB) to bring the transformative power of dance directly to patients at Newham Hospital. This unique collaboration places world-class movement workshops on hospital wards, enriching care for older adults, including those living with dementia. This partnership is part of Vital Arts’ broader mission to embed the arts into hospital life - not as a luxury, but as a vital part of holistic, human-centred care. We believe in arts that meet patients where they are, and in partnerships that transform how we think about healing.
Why Dance?
Dance is more than movement - it's a powerful tool for connection, confidence, and recovery. ENB’s specially trained Dance for Dementia artists guide gentle, joyful sessions designed to support:
Mobility and balance
Mood and emotional wellbeing
Memory and cognitive stimulation
Social connection and dignity
What Happens on the Wards?
In this ongoing project, ENB artists deliver weekly workshops on older adult wards at Newham Hospital. Patients are invited to join from their beds or chairs - there is no right or wrong way to participate. The sessions use storytelling, music, and expressive movement to create a calm, engaging environment that uplifts everyone involved.
Staff & Patient Feedback
The impact has been felt beyond patients alone. Ward staff consistently describe the sessions as “transformative,” “calming,” and “something that changes the atmosphere on the ward.” Patients report feeling “lighter,” “less anxious,” and “part of something again.”
Looking ahead: dance as part of recovery
As we move into the next phase of this partnership, we are exploring how these workshops can support recovery and even discharge planning. A new Quality Improvement project will examine whether on-ward engagement with dance increases confidence, mobility, and uptake of post-discharge community classes at ENB’s local dance studio in Newham.
“It made me feel human.”
Who are English National Ballet?
English National Ballet (ENB) is one of the UK’s leading ballet companies, renowned for bringing world-class dance to the widest possible audience. Alongside their stage performances, ENB runs a pioneering Dance for Health programme, which uses dance as a tool to support physical and emotional wellbeing across diverse communities.
At the heart of this work is the Mulryan Centre for Dance, ENB’s state-of-the-art home in Newham, East London. This purpose-built space serves as a community hub where health, creativity, and access come together. From tailored programmes for people living with dementia or Parkinson’s, to inclusive classes for older adults, the Centre delivers evidence-based movement sessions that support rehabilitation, confidence, and connection.
You could feel the whole mood of the ward shift.”
Nurse, Thistle Ward
Partner
