ABSTRACT
Co-authored by Improving Social Inclusion for People with Dementia and Carers through Sharing Dance project collaborators from Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), who are innovative leaders in the development of the Sharing Dance Older Adults program, the aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of a unique program established by NBS and its partner Baycrest. The chapter explores the School’s creative and innovative history that led to the creation of Sharing Dance Older Adults. A key feature of the chapter is the emphasis on building an understanding of the program’s distinctive development, expansion, and principles. This chapter provides the applied foundation for the remaining chapters of the book which is of interest to researchers, dance practitioners, and organizations offering arts-based programs for older adults with different ageing experiences and needs.
