“This
class was a delight. I'll remember how wonderful it felt to be free to trust my
body to move,” said a
72 year old participant of her experience in the Mature Moving Me class
at Mesa Arts Center.
To thwart
stress and depression as we age, studies have shown that participation in arts
activities can boost mood and support an overall sense of well-being. Now in
its third year, Mesa Arts Center’s Creative Aging Program presents two
unique workshops on storytelling and creative dance movement. Each of the
workshops offers social and creative outlets to enhance self-esteem, morale,
and overall health for adults over 55. Workshops are held at Mesa Arts Center
now through the end of April, and they are free and open to the public. For
more information, click
here.
Rita Hawkins, an 83 year old
participant, said of the program, “I feel so exuberant after I leave here.”
Workshops
include Mature Moving Me, a collaborative dance class for seniors that
is appropriate for all levels and all abilities as well as What’s Your Story,
a 90-minute workshop that leads participants in transforming memories into
recorded history or legend.
“I love seeing the light in their faces because it’s a very
playful atmosphere — open and playful — and we just come alive,” says
another pleased participant.
For the most
current discussion on healthy aging and the arts, join Mesa Arts Center and The
Arizona Commission on the Arts March 13, 2015 for Arizona Creative Aging
Summit: Arts Across the Aging Spectrum. Creative Aging is a national
movement aimed at fostering an understanding of the vital relationship between
creative expression and healthy aging. The summit will convene arts
organizations, teaching artists and aging and healthcare service providers
interested in the significant impact the arts can have on quality of life for
older adults.
Friday, March
13, 2015 | 10:00am - 4:00pm
Mesa
Contemporary Arts Museum @ Mesa Arts Center
One East Main
Street | Mesa AZ 85201
For more
information, visit http://www.mesaartscenter.com/outreach/outreach-programs/Creative-Aging.
By: LaDawn
Lingard
