My Classes

Active Living, Southampton

Wednesdays (starting 1st March 2023)
10 am - 11 am
Isaac Watts Memorial Church, Winchester Road/Luccombe Road, Southampton, SO16 6TS
Cost: £9 (pay as you go), £7.50 if you pay monthly in advance

My chair-based sessions are specifically designed for the elderly or other frail participants with a combination of chair-based and some standing sequences. They will aid the development of posture, coordination, balance and strength. They are a fantastic way to improve fitness in a protected environment.

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Steady and Strong Dance, Chandlers Ford

Thursdays
9.30 am - 10.30 am
St Boniface Church, Hursley Road, Chandlers Ford, SO53 2FT
Cost: £9 (pay as you go), £7.50 if you pay monthly in advance

My sessions are specifically designed for older adults with a combination of chair-based and standing sequences. They will aid the development of posture, coordination, balance and strength. They are a fantastic way to improve fitness in a safe environment.

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Dance for Parkinson’s, Eastleigh

Thursdays (term time only)
1.30 pm - 3 pm
The Point, Leigh Rd, Eastleigh SO50 9DE
Cost: £5 (pay as you go) Carers welcome

A social and uplifting movement class designed specifically for the symptoms of Parkinson’s, helping to increase general mobility, confidence and social and emotional well-being. I am a community dance practitioner and I have extensive experience in offering gentle movement classes to older people.

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One-to-one sessions

A one-to-one class with me is customised to fit your specific needs, focusing on the therapeutic benefits and helping you work towards your own specific goals. We will work gently together, at a pace that suits you and your body.

1:1 sessions are an hour-long and cost £30
There is a reduced rate available if needed. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch for details.

Meet Gerald, a participant in one of my seated movement classes.

Gerald’s overall health and flexibility wasn’t as good as it could be. I began working with him individually because he wanted to be able to stand up more easily from the floor.

The first thing we noticed was some rigidity in his joints, in particular in his big toes. I started by getting him to move his toes very gently. A few weeks later we were able to incorporate a tennis ball into our session. The exercise involved rolling the ball under his feet and gradually putting weight onto the ball. As a result of this, slowly, over a number of weeks, the mobility in his toes improved.

The main reason this was so effective is that he continued to do the exercises regularly at home.

A key element of my work is a gentle touch to help mobilize joints. This is not massage, the aim is to bring awareness to the specific body part. In Gerald’s case his feet. This became part of our routine over the few months that we worked together.

Another issue Gerald faced was that his neck was stooped and when we did any floor exercises he had to use a very thick pillow to support his head and neck. By using simple relaxation exercises and manipulation of his muscles this problem was greatly reduced.

Gerald achieved amazing results because not only did he work hard during our sessions, but he also did the suggested exercises regularly at home. Plus: he started going to the gym, attended tai chi classes and also attended my chair-based movement classes on a regular basis.

In short: he is very motivated and willing to work hard to improve his health.