SB Health
A National Centre for Dance Health
Did you know Scottish Ballet offers innovative dance programmes that can improve health and wellbeing? We are a National Centre for Dance Health and have been creating wellbeing experiences since 2013 – bringing joy across generations in Scotland, the UK and internationally.
The SB Health team engages with communities in Scotland and beyond through our classes, health resources, online programmes and research studies.
The links between the arts and health are long established, not only in creating the environment for good health to flourish, but in supporting people with long term conditions. Scottish Ballet are leading exponents of this approach, and I am immensely proud to be attending and supporting Healing Arts Scotland week to learn more about how we can make the most of this fantastic opportunity to improve people’s health and wellbeing.
Sir Gregor Smith, Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer
What do we do?
SB Health is made up of pioneering multigenerational dance programmes that offer creative experiences to improve the health of those involved.
We lift themes and movements from our productions to inspire creativity, nurturing the dancer in everyone, creating space away from diagnoses and life’s challenges.
Scottish Ballet’s Dance Health programme has been made possible by the generous support of Scottish Government, Baillie Gifford (Scottish Ballet’s Neurological Dance Health partner), trusts, foundations, Rose Fund, Sue & Graeme Sloan, and our patrons.
Download our flyer to find out more about what we do and how you can get involved.
Overview
Watch our film below to learn more about our innovative programmes.
Neurological Conditions
Central to SB Health is our dance health strand which includes three programmes for people living with neurological conditions: Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s and dementia.
Each class is created and delivered by an award-winning dance health team that is made up of full-time dance education professionals, who have become trained specialists within this area.
Multiple Sclerosis
SB Elevate®
These classes are a fun way for you to explore creativity, expression, musicality, fluidity, balance and posture.
Choose from live in-person classes in Glasgow, Perth and Orkney, online classes and on-demand resources.
Parkinson's
Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland
These classes improve balance, spatial awareness, confidence and fluidity of movement.
Choose from live in-person classes in Glasgow, online classes, links to partner hubs across Scotland and on-demand resources.
Dementia/brain health
Time to Dance®
By developing communication, expression, coordination, balance, creativity, problem-solving and social interaction, dancing supports brain health and improves quality of life.
Choose from live in-person classes in Glasgow, on-demand resources and online sessions for care homes and day centres.
Long Covid
Long Covid continues to impact the lives of over 150,000 people in Scotland. This programme offers specialist physical and emotional support for people living with long Covid.
On demand
Films and audio resources to help people living with long Covid; supporting wellbeing through focusing on body alignment, breath, mobility and posture.
Social Prescribing
Scottish Ballet’s approach to social prescribing aligns with Scottish Government’s ‘Realistic Medicine’ approach, acknowledging that there are many circumstances where a non-medical intervention may deliver better outcomes with less risk. We are proud to be partnering with the Health & Social Care Alliance Scotland to explore pathways that seek to place our dance health neurological programmes into mainstream health and social care settings.
We welcome referrals by health professionals to our programmes.
Health and Social Care Professionals
Health at Hand® offers movement based, activity for health and social care professionals to combat physical and emotional stress.
Created in collaboration with NHS Scotland and Scottish Government.
Health at Hand®
These preventative sessions empower participants to manage stress through movement; alleviating areas of physical and mental stress on those working in the NHS and social care services.
These resources are also suitable for unpaid carers/ care partners and the package also includes a film specially created for children.
Reduced Mobility
A series of interactive digital dance films and audio resources for people with reduced mobility to enjoy at home, in care homes and in hospitals, or to share with their companions or carers.
Includes a British Sign Language (BSL) resource as part of our project with integrated work from Deaf performer Amy Murray.
Bedside Ballet
These resources include captions, a BSL interpreted film and are available with subtitles in a range of languages.
Young People
SB Health supports young people in two ground-breaking initiatives.
Safe To Be Me®
Safe to Be Me® is a project that uses dance to encourage young people to explore identity, acceptance and respect by introducing them to topics such as ableism, homophobia, racism and transphobia.
This innovative programme introduces young people to the core project themes, working creatively with them and experienced dance practitioners to develop movement skills and encourage self-expression through the exploration of areas including culture and ethnicity, family makeup, LGBTQ identities and disability.
Following the success of delivering Safe to Be Me® in primary schools, we are proud to have been delivering the project in secondary schools since February 2023.
The Close
The Close provides a first time ballet experience for young adults who have faced adversity during childhood.
Delivered in partnership with specialist education providers, including Kibble, this vital education project provides at-risk young people with new and enriching cultural experiences.
Research and Evaluation
To develop and evaluate the impact of our programmes and practice, we work closely with academics, health professionals, partners and people with lived experience across Scotland and beyond.
Established in 2020, our SB Health research committee helps us to maintain rigour across our dance health research and evaluation projects.
Healing Arts Scotland
Healing Arts Scotland 2024 was a country-wide week-long series of events celebrating and advocating for improved physical, mental and social health through the arts.
Spearheaded by Scottish Ballet as part of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab’s global ‘Healing Arts’ campaign in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, the one-week activation event was produced in partnership with a national coalition of organisations across culture, science, health, education and government.
It launched on 19th August 2024 as part of the Edinburgh International Festival and included dialogues, performances, exhibitions, workshops and a series of high-profile policy convenings across Scotland.
Dance Health Volunteering
We have a team of fully trained volunteers who help out at dance health classes across the country.
Click here to find out more.
