Following the first draft of the À petits pas project launched in 2018 with the childcare center CPE de la Dame and the elder’s shelter Saint-Henri, intergenerational activities unfold and spread, in 2019, in four of Montreal’s neighbourhoods: Saint-Henri, Petite-Bourgogne, Plateau-Mont-Royal and Rosemont. The project then incorporates new partners: CPE La Garde Amis, Saint-Louis, de la Dame, Les Gardelunes and Galijode and elder’s shelters des Seigneurs, Bruchési, Saint-Henri, Auclair and Robert-Cliche. The dancers Cara Roy, Julie Tymchuk, Roxanne Dupuis and Maryline Cyr and the cultural mediators of the festival conduct the activities together.
The classes are imagined as communicating vessels; at first both the elders and the children explore movement separately, in their own spaces. Each can develop a common vocabulary that is adapted to their capacities. The children then visit the elders in their center for up to four jointed classes where they explore together where their movements can meet.
The benefits of dance can be observed both with the children and the elders. Where the latter are energized by the presence of the children, children, on the other hand, become more calm and focused when in contact with the elders. We saw a new respect and appreciation for the elderly bloom in the children as they cultivated a positive image of them. The activities also contributed to reduce isolation and loneliness amongst the residents. Moreover, dancing in general contributes to the general well being of both groups, improving physical health, coordination and self-esteem.
