It’s been a busy few months! I really enjoyed meeting and dancing with people who we usually see online when they join DanceSyndrome dance sessions at the Encore weekend in April because they don’t live near Preston. We created dance with each other as one big dancing family. We were all very happy. Attending the Board meeting in April with … Read More
‘I Need Personal Time and Personal Space’ is true for everyone
In a bit of a bind, my daughter Jen — who has a learning disability — declared ‘I need personal time and personal space’. True for all of us! We’ve all been there. It’s all too easy to be overwhelmed by one element of our lives which rears its head at every waking moment. E-mails and social media are perhaps … Read More
Connecting through dance
It’s been a busy few months with my family and my dancing family. I am very proud of all we’ve done so far this year. It’s been very exciting. After my Mum and Dad sailed across the Atlantic on their yacht Sukama in January, my lead support and Fire Sister Donna and I flew to meet them in Tampa Bay, … Read More
Together against loneliness
With an important caveat. All views are personal and formed over 70 years of living, 44 with Jen, who today presents as her most fulfilled self ever. Let’s consider the work/life balance for all of us. What works best – for you, for people you know, for your family members, your loved ones, for people with learning disabilities? And how … Read More
DanceSyndrome 17 years on
Thank you for noticing and for your congratulations! Can it really be 17 years since we took those first faltering steps towards the birth of DanceSyndrome? Like so many decisions it was driven by necessity. Jen’s world was crumbling around her and the frustration of her aspirations not being recognized just because she has a learning disability was too much … Read More
Jen’s summer months – in her own words
I hope you had a lovely summer. I did. I’m loving my life, just being me. I’m having a blast! The July community showcase of my charity DanceSyndrome was just amazing. All my dancers were together in one space. Everyone shone in their own unique way and lit up the theatre but we came together in a new dance where … Read More
Sharing and impacting in Europe
We’ve just returned back to the UK buoyed up by a fabulous experience at #EAMHID25 in Ghent where Jen and the DanceSyndrome dancers made a significant contribution. Not only did they have an opportunity to deliver a solicited symposium (presentation) in conjunction with the NHS and a workshop ‘Embracing Inclusivity’, but they were given license to share their passion and … Read More