Introduction

Co-authored by the lead researchers of the Improving Social Inclusion for People with Dementia and Carers through Sharing Dance project, this introductory chapter presents the distinctive focus of the book on the value of arts-based approaches to ageing, health, and care across different settings. The chapter introduces the reader to the Sharing Dance Older Adults program and collaborative research project. It offers a critique of the growing interest in arts-based programs within health, ageing, and dementia care research and introduces central concepts such as social inclusion, relational dementia care, and embodied expression that thread the chapters together. A key feature of the chapter is an overview of the importance, innovation, and impact of the research involved.