FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Kairos Partnering with Episcopal Homes and Midwest Special Services to host Participatory Arts Programming for Elders, Family Members and Caregivers
MINNEAPOLIS – June 8, 2016 – Kairos Alive!, pioneers in participatory art and the creative arts and aging movement, in partnership with Midwest Special Services and Episcopal Homes, will host Intergenerational Dance Halls™ on June 20th at Minnehaha Falls Park Bandshell with Midwest Special Services; and June 22nd at Episcopal Homes.
These dance halls are funded via the Minnesota State Arts Board Partners in Arts Participation grant, and a Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC) Arts Learning grant, and are intended to broaden opportunities for Minnesotans to participate in the arts.
The Intergenerational Dance Hall™ is a revival of the dance hall as the community intersection of artistic, physical and social involvement – designed for all ages and abilities, with elders at the center. These intercultural, intergenerational events provide opportunities for people ages 1-101 to share their creativity – no matter their abilities – with their peers, families and friends in an inclusive and lively event with live music, dancing and storytelling. They are designed as a creative collaboration between participants and professional artists where the boundaries between performer and audience are dissolved.
Midwest Special Services (MSS) is partnering with Kairos Alive! to provide adults with disabilities participatory dance, music, and story experiences. The MRAC Arts Learning grant also supported Kairos Alive! working with Brooklyn Park and Apple Valley MSS sites in 2015/16, and concludes in a final dance hall June 20th open to all MSS clients, their caregivers and family members.
Kairos Alive! and Episcopal Homes are partnering to create participatory dance, music, theater and storytelling experiences in Kairos Alive! Dancing Heart™ sessions for frail elders challenged by memory loss, elders in independent living, caregivers, family members, and preschoolers from the Kinder Village on campus. Intro to Moving Well™ Trainings for caregivers in the Kairos Alive! Choreography of Care™ model are also included. This grant funded partnership culminates in a campus-wide dance hall on June 22nd open to the entire Episcopal Homes campus, family members and friends.
“We are excited for these upcoming dance halls with Midwest Special Services and Episcopal Homes,” said Maria Genne, Founder/Director of Kairos Alive!. “We have so much fun at these intergenerational and intercultural events. We work together to welcome participants and engage them in lively, all-abilities dancing.”
The Kairos Alive! Intergenerational Dance Halls™ will be held:
Midwest Special Services and Kairos Alive
June 20th from 10:30am – 12:00pm at Minnehaha Falls Park Bandshell, 4801 Minnehaha Ave. S., Minneapolis
Live music by The 5th Season
Episcopal Homes and Kairos Alive!
June 22nd from 6:30pm – 8:00pm at Episcopal Homes’ Welcome Center, 1860 University Ave. W., Saint Paul
Live music by The Kevin Washington Quintet
About Midwest Special Services
Since 1949, MSS (Midwest Special Services, Inc.) has been providing individualized programs and supports to adults with intellectual and physical disabilities to help them reach their personal goals and achieve their full potential. We are committed to identifying the barriers that our participants face, and then building customized plans to help them overcome those barriers. For more information, visit www.mwsservices.org.
About Episcopal Homes
Founded in 1894, Episcopal Homes of Minnesota is building community and enriching lives of older adults. Our senior communities offer a continuum of housing options, services, and affordability. We have four locations in the heart of Saint Paul, with the Midway campus conveniently located along the METRO Green Line. Whether you seek the comforts of a peaceful senior community or the reassurance of 24-hour nursing care, Episcopal Homes of Minnesota is sure to meet your needs. For more information, visit www.ehomesmn.org.
About Kairos Alive!
A 501(c)3 non-profit performing arts and arts learning organization, Kairos Alive! Choreography of Care™ transforms lives through dance and story, and raises awareness of the importance of creative involvement across the lifespan for verifiable health benefits. Kairos’ research-based, award winning arts programs actively engage people of all ages and abilities through participatory dance, music and story in intergenerational and intercultural communities. For more, visit kairosalive.org
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Contact: Parker Genne ⎜612.926.5454 ⎜[email protected]
