A project bringing dance to Scottish healthcare workers has culminated in a week-long celebration.
The Healing Arts Festival brings more than 100 doctors, nurses and medical professionals to perform at events across the country.
The festival was hosted by Tramway, Scottish Ballet and the Hidden Garden, teamed up to host events which brought together communities, researchers and academics to discuss the role of the arts in healthcare.
In Glasgow, the Scottish ballet and dancers got together for rehearsals before the big show at Tramway before the festival headed to Aberdeen, Orkney and Shetland.
Social worker Liz Snodgrass and medical secretary Fiona McGill took up dance classes after the pandemic.
It started as a way to get moving – but turned into a vital outlet.
STV NewsLiz said: “It was great for my mental health, my brain was more alert every time I had one of the classes. It’s so inclusive and they make it so easy to join in.
“I look forward to it every week.”
Fiona added: “Anything to do with the arts, releases something in yourself, about being creative.
“Everybody is a dancer. Everybody, regardless of your ability.
“Although they call it the healing arts, I think it’s a gateway, a portal, into being able to express yourself.
“The joy that dance can bring, and being with other people.
“We don’t think about work. We come together and we have fun!”
Dancing has helped workers with mobility issues strike a pose too
Emma Sinclair said: “I suffer from joint problems myself, and I’ve got quite a lot of back pain, so I do find that dancing movement when you just loosen up just takes your mind off pain.
“It’s relaxing and a good way to de-stress.”
STV NewsCatherine Cassidy is director of organisational culture and engagement at Scottish Ballet and the festival’s co-director.
She said: “It’s really about bringing together everyone to start to think about how we can improve lives, reduce the gap between life expectancy in Scotland, and think about how we come together to give people life enriching experiences.”
Dr Emilia Crighton, Director of Public Health at NHSGGC said: “Through our Arts in Health and Active Staff programmes, NHSGGC is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of its staff, and this collaboration with Scottish Ballet has been a particular success.
“All forms of physical activity, and participation in the arts in general, have been shown to be beneficial to our physical and mental health, and events such as Healing Arts Scotland show that anyone, of any ability, can get involved.
“We are happy to support this event, and we hope people will sign up and support their local NHS staff and others from communities around Glasgow.”
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