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Vitality Dance isn’t just another exercise class — it’s a joyful, brain-smart movement experience designed to ignite your spirit and keep you feeling radiant from the inside out.

Unlike traditional fitness classes that focus only on muscles or repetition, Vitality Dance combines gentle, expressive movement with brain-based techniques (like Brain Dance, developmental patterns, and Brain Gym) to support healthy brain wiring, improve coordination, and boost your overall vitality. You'll experience fun, freedom, and flow — moving in ways that feel natural, creative, and deeply satisfying.

This program keeps your joints lubricated, your body fluid, and your mind sharp, helping you stay confident and connected at every age. More than just “working out,” it’s about reclaiming your joy in movement, nourishing your whole self, and celebrating your unique expression.

Can I Take this Class?

Yes, you can take this class whenever Mariah-Jane is in one place long enough to offer a class package!

Please reach out to be on the list of when to be notified of upcoming classes. 

Vitality Dance Elements

This course brings together the depth of Mariah-Jane’s diverse training in dance, somatics, kinesiology, and movement education to create a programme designed especially for adult and senior dancers. Rooted in decades of experience, it offers practical strategies to support mobility, vitality, and joy in every class.

The programme is designed with flexibility in mind—you can teach it as a complete, stand-alone class, or integrate individual elements into your existing structure. Whether you want to revitalize your adult programmes or enrich your senior classes with new tools, you’ll gain adaptable techniques that can be applied right away.

By adding these approaches, you’ll not only meet the unique needs of your mature dancers, but also create classes that keep them engaged, confident, and thriving.

Vitality Dance Elements

The element wheel beside is something that can be used to help create a balanced Vitality Dance Class. Alternatively, you can choose to expand upon each element in any combination that suits the needs of your dancers. 

Learn More about Each Element In Depth

Pathways of Connectivity

Dive into the Developmental Movement Patterns and how profound it can be to introduce these patterns to dancers.  These patterns are the underlying patterns of full body organization and coordination.  Every moment spent developing these patterns allows for greater ease and efficiency of movement.

Brain Integration

The concept of Brain Integration and brain health is important to adult and elderly students, as it should be!  Declining cognitive function and memory is a great concern to many seniors and dance is well known to support brain health.  But, adding in the layer of brain integration strategies using movements from Brain Gym, will elevate your classes beyond simply a dance class. 

Functional Anatomy

Living and moving pain free, with full mobility and ease is an often articulated goal of adult/senior dancers.  However, many teachers do not realize that a missing piece may be understanding of HOW the body moves, not to produce specific dance movements, but in life.   Clearing up many misunderstandings can be life changing!

Recuperative Principles

Rest and Recuperation are not the same thing.  You can keep moving and recuperate simultaneously provided the movement experiences are structured to be 3D and follow functional anatomy, honour the design of the body, such as using fascial recoil. The additional element of addressing any retained reflexes is also highly illuminating and can be life changing for again dancers. 

Laban Efforts for Expression

Opportunities for full expression thru movement are rare in everyday life but shouldn't be in a dance class.  Utilizing the Laban system to ensure a full range of expressive opportunities are offered will not just satisfy the needs to express of dancers, but support added growth thru the use of the full range of possibilities. 

Vitality Dance Teacher's Course

If you are a teacher of adults and/or seniors this course is for you.

The adult and senior's take dance classes for different reasons than children and teens.  And giving them what they both want and need is part of being a great dance teacher.

Here is a selection of elements that comprise a good dance class for adults/seniors:

 

  • Gentle Warm-Up – to prepare the body safely and increase circulation, and introducing the value of micro-movements

  • Mobility Exercises – to support ease of movement in everyday life.

  • Balance and Vestibular Training – to improve stability and reduce risk of falls.

  • Strength-Building Movements – low-impact exercises that build functional strength.

  • Flexibility and Joint Care thru Functional Anatomy– By understanding the design of the various joints in the body (spine, shoulders, pelvis, knee, feet) you will discover freedom and flexibility throughout the body

  • Dynamic Alignment and Easeful Posture By truly understanding the design of the body, discover how to have Dynamic Alignment instead of fixed posture

  • Creative Expression – opportunities for individuality, storytelling, and joy in movement.

  • Social Connection – dancing together to foster community and friendship.

  • Fascial Support – Discover the deliciousness of moving within the springy and resilient fascial system of the body

  • Cool Down and Relaxation – to leave the body refreshed, calm, and energized.

  • Deep Coordination and Efficient Movement – using the developmental movement patterns as a foundation will allow for greater efficiency and ease leading to a return of energy not burn-out

 

 

Beyond Brain Health Component

Brain Dance & Brain Gym

Brain Dance and developmental movement patterns help reconnect your body from the ground up, creating ease and support so every movement feels natural and fluid. These foundational patterns reawaken your body’s original blueprint for effortless coordination, core support, and dynamic strength. Combined with Brain Gym, they keep your brain integrated, sharp, and resilient to stress. The focus on 3D movement keeps your joints happy and lubricated, supporting long-term mobility and longevity. Together, they don’t just strengthen your body — they rewire your brain for better balance, clarity, and vitality. This is true anti-aging and brain health: not just exercise, but intelligent movement designed to keep you radiant and thriving inside and out.

Perfect for Silver Swans Teachers

If you are a teacher of the RAD's Silver Swans Programme, this work would be a great addition.

It can be used as a warm-up, cool-down or sprinkled throughout the class. 

The students will appreciate the additional material that supports the development of the vestibular system and proprioception. 

Vitality Dance Teacher Training

Vitality Dance Training in 3 Parts

Learn how to implement this in your own classes.

  • Foundations
  • Application Strategies
  • Progressions

 

Perth, Western Australia

September 15-17

9:30 am - 1 pm 

In Person Recommended if it can happen for you!

Online available: Both Live and Receiving the Recordings