Here we are, at the end of Makuru Season and it has been lovely to enjoy the warmth of winter sun-shiney days. We are moving into the season of Djilba in August and September, which brings the wildflowers – yellow, white, pink – and is a transitional time with cold, clear days as well as windy, rainy weather.
Djilba season is here! Photo Credit: Paige G
Newsflashes……
So far in 2026, Lifespan Dance provides dance classes to 171 people per week (average) through the delivery of our dance and health programs. Ausdance WA has shone a ‘Spotlight’ on Lifespan Dance in the recent July newsletter! Thank you Amy, Gary and the Ausdance WA team – https://www.ausdancewa.org.au
Lifespan Dance has received a second grant from the City of Canning Community Development Round, which provides the studio space (Rostrata Centre) for the Willetton classes, and we are delighted! And in more funding news for Willetton classes, we can announce a boost from our philanthropic donors John & Shelly Thompson to specifically support the teaching dance artist to lead ongoing classes. Thank you Shelley & John . https://www.canning.wa.gov.au/events/lifespan-seated-dance-classes/
A wonderful meeting with Tanya, Coordinator/Physiotherapist at Osborne Park Hospital Parkinson’s Clinic – leading to a lovely conversation and an information exchange about movement, music, classes and future-focussed dance projects. Let’s stay in touch!
Community Classes
Term 3 classes are in full swing at Willetton, Maylands, Kwinana and Dalkeith.
We are committed to a two-teacher model in our Community Classes, which is a strong feature of the Dance for Parkinson’s classes and sustains a supported community of practice. The ongoing work of Lifespan Dance Community Classes happens due to the commitment and skills of fellow dance artists – Ella, Liz, Christine – and our superb volunteers – Cheryl, Kaitlyn and Jac. Together, we share professional knowledge, experiential learnings and workings in our dance/health space. Our high quality community classes would not be possible without these wonder-women!
Community class with teaching artist Ella, Liz, Christine, and superb volunteer Cheryl, Kaitly, and Jac. Photo Credit- Alex K
Outreach Classes
Our outreach classes extend north, south, east and west. The ‘compass’ of Outreach classes across Makuru has included Halls Head, Bellevue, Cottlesloe and Kinross. We enjoy leading outreach classes in a variety of spaces and locations in aged care, independent living, cancer support groups, dementia groups and within wellbeing/health programs. We liaise with Wellbeing and Lifestyle Coordinators to better understand needs and circumstances, and we enjoy teaching familiar and new participating dancers. As the ‘preferred provider’ of dance classes in aged care, we continue to receive numerous requests for classes, demonstrations and as guest speakers. Please note bookings for 2027 will open in October.
‘Mercy Place’ Art Piece. Photo Credit: Paige G
New Short Film
Working with videographer Lee Kennedy, Lifespan have created a (very very short 2minute) short film titled “threads”. It is a short and beautiful black and white film set to music created by Louis Frere-Harvey and featuring some of the dancer from our classes. We are looking to screen it in some local, national and international short-film festivals. If you are interested in seeing the film, please email directly.
Still image from ‘Threads’ film
Dance for PD Australia Training
Each year Lifespan Dance contributes towards WA-based dance artist to undertake the Dance for PD Australia training. Kaitlyn Abrams has recently completed her DP training, and is now being mentored to teacher-readiness. Kaitlyn has been extraordinarily generous in volunteering time over the last year, learning from the teachers and dancers, and it is a thrill to see her move into a Lead Teacher role in the coming months. We welcome you to the team Kaitlyn!
Ageing Well Expo
For the 6th year running, Lifespan Dance has brought a little ray of dance-sunshine to the Ageing Well Expo, Perth Convention Centre. We feature our dance & health programs and demonstrate by inviting many others to join in with us in a number of fun dance sequences. Always a popular element of the Expo program and always great to see dancers from different classes appear! So much fun – turn up the volume Todd!
Lifespan Dance at the Ageing Well Expo. Photo Credit: Chrissie
New Seated Dance Performance – Research & Development of ‘Weathering’
As part of a recent PhD research at WAAPA ECU, alongside 23 dancers, we were able to share a ‘draft’ version of a new seated dance performance, titled Weathering – with an invited audience. This work will be the third in a triptych of seated dance performances that Paige Gordon has choreographed in recent years – together with Wingspan and Whorl – and will be performed publicly at a later date.
Still image from the ‘draft’ version of a new seated dance performance – Weathering.
Dates for the Diary
Parkinson’s WA – Walk in the Park – Sunday September 13
A great day to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s WA. Lifespan has been invited to lead the warm-up this year, and we look forward to dancing with you onstage!
Register for the event here – https://www.parkinsonswa.org.au/a-walk-in-the-park-2026
Stay well. All movement matters!