About Reach 4 Dance

The project aims to take high quality dance performances and workshops to mental health facilities throughout the UK.

The project was founded by Dr. Ray Rowden, a health policy expert and ballet lover and supported by Sue Silk, a Janssen-Cilag employee. Sue worked on the successful One in a Hundred campaign which featured artists who live with mental health problems. While working on this project, it was discovered that Nijinsky, the famous dancer with Ballet Russes had schizophrenia and died in a mental hospital. Whilst exploring this Sue and Ray both saw the value of dance for people in mental health settings and the project started in 2004.

The programme offers an interactive performance lasting about an hour and employs experienced professional dancers from leading vocational dance schools. All the Reach 4 Dance artists have worked with major ballet companies in the UK and overseas and many have danced and sung in West End musicals. The audience - which is made up of users, carers and staff - therefore experience productions of the highest quality. In addition to performances, during the past year the programme has offered more focused workshops in two units: Look Ahead - a community housing scheme in East London; and The Roehampton Huntercombe Hospital - a secure facility in West London.

These workshops allow participants to work with dancers using movement and dance, and really build the confidence of participants. Our primary aim is to use the programme to offer participants access to the magic of dance, to break routines and to have some fun. The performances and workshops use classical ballet, street dance, show dance, hip hop, body popping and song, providing a diverse mix of music and dance.