Casual Day: JOY, PASSION, LIFE

On the 6th of September 2019, South Africans celebrated the 25th year of Casual Day, using the theme ‘Time to Shine’.

Written in the article by NCPD National Office. 2019 was the following: “We are inviting YOU to go with your glow on Casual Day 2019… from the sparkle in your eyes to the bright neon of your outfits. To encourage everyone to shine their light and take up their rights! No longer are persons with disabilities to be relegated to the shadows, this year we call on YOU to ... stand out… to be visible… to live loud and be seen!”

This theme did exactly that as we arrived in the wards with our brightly painted faces, large ‘Casual Day’ banner and neon colours. For the clients of King Dinizulu Hospital who experience the extreme boredom which co-insides with institutionalization, the event that we planned shined as brightly as it was destined to. The competitive games, explosive dance moves, vibrant music, tasty treats and painting of hands to unify participation in the event brought endless smiles, laughs and fun into the gloomy wards, on a rather miserable, rainy day. One client spoke to me, as we were about to leave, saying that she expected it to be boring but had a huge smile and stated that it was so much fun.

NCPD National Office. 2019 stated that “The theme of TIME TO SHINE sets out to achieve many things, to highlight and showcase the brilliance that’s created when South Africans unite behind a truly great cause… to encourage people to shine their light and take up their rights”.

The theme brought great unity amongst the client’s and they certainly felt encouraged and happy after this day. I danced continuously for at least 30 minutes with a specific client who has shown to be in a lot of anger, pain and sorrow in the past week, resulting in poor behaviour. I wanted to cry when I saw the JOY she experienced in singing all the ‘Golden oldies’ and strutting her moves.

I also told the clients to listen to the inspirational song, by Andy Grammar, ‘Don’t Give up on Me’ and some of the more elderly ladies specifically resonated with this song and the words which say, “I’m not giving up. I’m not giving up, giving up, no not yet”, these lyrics bring life and rejuvenate those who are feeling hopeless. I noticed the therapeutic benefit of doing this, as well as, bringing in many songs from the past that the clients would know e.g. Dancing Queen by Abba. To add a social element, I told those who were dancing to pair up by holding hands and to dance with that friend and this gave the clients who are experiencing psychomotor retardation symptoms a chance to be more active.

The ladies ward played a few games and then decorated cupcakes and ate them before having a dance party. The men’s ward played games such as bowling, tug of war and bean bag toss and their delicious oranges and chips also gave the day more flavour. Both wards also participated in the casper slide. The men and women both thoroughly enjoyed the day as much as the students did.

According to Mindwise innovations 2019, “Swedish researchers studied more than 100 teenage girls who were struggling with issues like depression and anxiety. Half of the girls attended weekly dance classes, while the other half didn’t. The results showed the girls who took the dance classes improved their mental health and reported a boost in their mood. These positive effects lasted up to eight months after the dance classes ended. 

Teens aren’t the only ones who can dance their way to mental health. Senior adults (and adults of all ages) can reap the benefits too. A small group of senior adults, ages 65-91, was recently studied in North Dakota. After taking 12 weeks of Zumba (a dance fitness class), the seniors reported improved moods and cognitive skills. Not to mention increased strength and agility. Aside from the benefits of movement and music, dancing also allows us to become more connected and social. Making new friendships or reconnecting in an old relationship can be a wonderful side effect of dance. These social interactions can go a long way in improving mood and mental health”.

I chose to research an article on this as I witnessed the benefits of dance in mental health for the first time on Friday. I have been dancing since the age of three and I still do an advanced hip-hop and contemporary class twice a week. Seeing my passion link in with my career made me so excited to use it for the better in the near future. The article I read put it into perspective for me what dance therapy can do for a person’s mood and self-esteem.

In conclusion, I was able to witness the professional benefits that came with Casual Day. The nurses and security guards witnessed a side of patients that they didn’t know existed when they danced and sang at the top of their lungs. The day created a happy atmosphere which benefitted the clients in an exponential way and I know that they will continue to discuss this day for weeks, in their respective wards.

References:

1.       NCPD National Office. (2019). Casual Day: Time to shine with persons with Disabilities. Retrieved from http://www.casualday.co.za/contact-us/ on the 7^th of September 2019.

2.       Youtube. (2019). Casual Day SA. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlep1--HAuw on the 7^th of September 2019.

3.       Grammar, A. (2018). Andy Gramar lyrics. Retrieved from https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/andygrammer/dontgiveuponme.html on the 7^th of September 2019.

4.       Mindwise Innovations. (2019). Dancing and mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.mindwise.org/blog/mental-health/dancing-and-mental-health/ on the 7^th of September 2019.