Students explore whether dance can help people with autism?

Performing Arts students from Edge Hill University will use their personal experiences of autism to create an informative dance piece for health audiences.

How can dance performance intervene and reflect the needs of individuals affected by autism is the choreography project being led by three undergraduates - Daniel Sature, Amber Orr and Samantha Hickey.

The performance work is based on their personal experiences of autism, through living with relatives who have had a diagnosis of ASD, or of teaching in community contexts with people with such needs.

It not only focuses on people who have had a diagnosis of ASD, but also on their carers/families, and the work of associated professionals.

The students will show their innovative work at the National Autistic Society's annual conference on 29^th February.

James Hewison, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Dance and Drama, explained:

"The students want to ask the question, how can dance help people with autism, and their carers? They want reactions from their audience at the conference, who will be largely specialists in health care in this area. It's an innovative idea and the students have used their own personal experiences and have also interviewed those affected by the disorder for their views, to help them put together a realistic, representative performance piece.

"I think it's really exciting that we have such talented students who are taking on a brave subject. It is very emotive and I think they've done an excellent job in putting their own individual mark on such an intense subject."

In order to 'test' their question, the students aim to perform their work in a variety of other contexts and locations to both specialised and general audiences and will invite feedback on each occasion.

James said: "Being able to perform for the National Autistic Society is the perfect opportunity for the students to deliver the piece to a highly specialised and interested audience. To make it interactive they are also holding a question and answer session afterwards with conference delegates as a means of gathering information and reactions."

Edge Hill University offers a range of programmes in dance. For more information visit the website www.edgehill.ac.uk/study.