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About the session...
Sensory Performers is a fun, relaxed performing arts club! The performers will explore different stories and themes through dance/movement, songs/music, role-playing/drama and lots of games.
The sessions incorporate different sensory props from pom poms to jelly and parachutes to pop-corn to really help bring our topics to life! Sometimes we also incorporate crafts and sensory storytelling too.
This club is all about being in the moment – exploring using all of our senses and unapologetically being ourselves to really help develop confidence and self-esteem!
Expect high energy, lots of noise (we do have ear defenders in the classes), a chance for the performers (and parent/carers) to make friends and a whole heap of fun!
This club is aimed at those with a higher level of support needs and is fantastic for sensory seekers!
This organisation has the most enthusiastic and caring people who have reached out to my son and taken him out of himself allowing him to gain confidence through dance and acting. It is one of a kind and cannot be rated highly enough.
- Parent of Current Performer
What makes this class accessible?
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Visual Timetable to support transitions
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Visuals used to support communication and themes/topics
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Makaton to support communication and processing of instructions
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Sensory bag is available to support self-regulation
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Ear defenders available for dancers to borrow
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Class capped at 10 dancers to reduce the overwhelm
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Higher ratio of volunteers in the class to provide 1:1 support/engagement where possible
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No pressure to follow or learn routines – just follow along when they’re ready
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All stimming is welcomed and accepted
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Coloured non-slip spots to indicate where the performers should be in the room to support with grounding and personal space
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Use of different sensory props and costumes to help bring themes to life and engage/regulate the senses in different ways
What to expect in a typical Sensory Peformers Session?
Hello Song
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An opportunity for everyone to feel welcome, seen and important
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Signals the class has begun
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Introduces our theme
Warm-up to music
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Lots of tapping, brushing and squeezing to really ‘wake up’ our bodies and help our dancers feel where their bodies are in space
Sensory Dances
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Each dance has a different sensory prop such as shakey eggs, coloured scarves, parachute, light up gloves, costumes etc
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These are follow-along style rather than learning each step
Break time
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5/10 minutes to have a drink, use the toilet and socialise!
Special Activity
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This changes each week and is either a song/music section, craft, role-playing sensory drama moment
Cool Down
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A calming down moment where we breath and stretch sat down
Goodbye Song
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Signals the end of the session
