Our Founder

jessica conneely

Engaging communities with Creative ageing movement programs that enrich and connect people in later life

Experience and Professionalism

Established in 2017, Dance4Wellbeing is one of Australia’s most innovative providers
for over 55s, delivering programs across the Arts Health sector.

Our Director and founder, Jessica Conneely BA Dance (Dist.) is Internationally renowned with over 30 years of performing, teaching, and educating others on the benefits of dance, by providing safety-conscious dance and movement programs for seniors across Australia.

Dance4Wellbeing's award winning programs support considerable scientific research showing that dance offers excellent results as we get older, by providing a mind and body workout in a socially stimulating and joyful way. We provide dance sessions in community locations, in aged care, and we supplement these if reasons prevent seniors from attending in-person with an online program. Dancing with friends via ZOOM has allowed seniors to engage with like-minded people to improve their social life and reduce social isolation.

In addition, Jessica has created an accredited training program for Health and Care professionals - Movement in a Health or Care Setting. The training is provided in partnership with a registered training organisation and previously delivered with Hunter New England and Mid North Coast Local Health Districts, State Training Services, and TAFE NSW.

Jessica is also co -director of Dance for Parkinson’s Australia, producing creative programs in dance for people living with Parkinson’s disease, carers and the wider commmunity. Her extensive experience in working with residential aged care over 8 years has developed professional and engaging programs for older adults in care and those living with Dementia. Jess was former ESTEEM program Creative Arts officer for movement with an ongoing community research project for people affected by Stroke with the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI)

Recognised nationally by her peers as an innovator in this field, Jessica received the Arts Leader Award at the Lake Mac Awards, 2021 & Excellence in Business Diversity and Inclusion, 2022.

Simply put, dance brings people together and “feels” good.

See the organisations and groups we have been working with.

Qualifications and Awards

Presentations

2022 Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion- Lake Mac Business Awards
2022 Sydney Mardi Gra " best choreography" award
2021 Arts Leader – Lake Mac Council Awards
2021 Arts Mid North Coast Shine Festival Grant recipient
2021 Create NSW Digital Project recipient.
2020 Lake Macquarie Council Creative Grant recipient
2019 Grant recipient – The Awesome Foundation
2019 Create NSW project Grant – Dance and Dementia (U.S)
2018 Awards Australia Nominee – Connecting Communities
2017 Innovating Dance Practice Grant (U.K)
2016 Arts Health Institute Trail Blazer
Associate - Royal Academy of Dance
Cert. IV Dance Teaching and Management
Cert. IV Training and Assessment
Bachelor of Arts Dance (Dist.) – Western Sydney University

Knowledgeable Ageing Online Webinar - U.S 2022
Creative Ageing Forum – Seniors Week 2021
Gold Moves Australia Industry panel discussion 2021
Dance for Parkinson’s Australia Professional Development Series 2020
Arts Mid North Coast Creative Ageing Forum – Intro Training info 2018
Newcastle University Creativity and the Brain Symposium 2018
Ausdance NSW Creative Ageing Forum Sydney 2018
Australasian Rehabilitation Nurses Association NSW/ACT 2017
Transitional Aged Care Program Forum Hunter New England Health 2017

Memberships & Associations

Creative Engagement Specialist – Former Outside In Collective member
Co- Director Dance for Parkinson's Australia (2022- current)
Foundation Creative Arts Officer for ESTEEM Stroke Community program
People Dancing UK member
Associate – Gold Moves Australia
Associate – Royal Academy of Dance
Dance for PD member
Ausdance member
AHNNA member – Arts Health Network NSW/ACT
ACFIPS Arts and Health Sector Advisory Committee

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