Churton Leigh movement for activating alertness and connection

Teaching rhythm songs and celebrating new song writing talent Desiree Dawson.

I am so thrilled to spend time with the residents of Churtonleigh Rest Home in Churton Park Wellington.

I have been running a series of singing over the last couple of years and has been a driver of my creativity to increase mobility and build community connections in the lounge space.

Residents live in rooms alongside each other but do not have much communication with each other often small clicks can be formed.

Music is universal and accessible to everybody, no matter how you are when I start the class. It is often the greatest joy to see the transformation of someone from one state of being to another in the duration of our session.

I utilise a number of methods to do this but my favourites a combination of live music and interactive instruments including boomwhackers shakers and bells play an accompaniment by me on guitar or ukulele.

Increasing physical interaction, play and curiosity, engaging left and right brain hemispheres with boomwhackers.

I also provide digital words on the lounge television so that people can follow along with lyrical content if they would like to see a visual representation of the work that we are singing.

Also, I use digital audio to support the work and it's how to activate memory experiences so we can have a jolly good time. Sometimes I think you can be a conduit to a shared experience you can have in the collective if you bring the right tools and have the grace to make it work.

I have had some right proper bangers in my time. It is best not to make an assumption about what someone likes musically and better to ask. We do this with song requests. I have been building a most excellent Spotify list of songs from our participants along with a few choices from me.

Celebrating NZ Music Month at The War Memorial Library

After the success of our last. We were invited back to come and present a another Community Music Session at the War Memorial, but this time it was to celebrate New Zealand Music Month

We've moved into doing our Mutual Appreciation Society on Wednesdays so I thought it would be appropriate to ask our participants, would they like to do a song list of New Zealand. Artists and present or would they like to pick an artist from New Zealand and then do a specific song list of their favorite songs? And then? Play, engage and create with those.

They decided that they wanted to rock out to Stan Walker. I was most delighted with their choice, I had a backup Spotify list. But Stan Walker was a great choice as I know they love his music. Using our Mutual Appreciation Society Process to decide which songs did we think would be best to take to our session at the library for everyone to enjoy.

Song list was created. Susan sent out a invitation to. Different members of the disabled community. Letting the community know that I would be hosting a session at the library again.

This time we had a remarkable uptake of participation. From our community. We have. The participants from. Kimmy Ora. Drama Christie Thumbs up. Local library visitors and Manaaki Ability Trust.

Crank the stereo up. After a welcome song. Away we went. Let loose the musical instruments and the poise. And had ourselves a cranking session.

It was lovely to see you, the bonding and connection with the different members in our community. There was a reminiscing back to our dear friend John Paul and some of the sessions he used to run at the library. Also some of the commonality and generosity found within the community. How nice it is when we get together. Quite joyous.