Northern Ballet Pilots VR Dance Experience for Leeds Children's Hospital Patients

Quotes

“We know that dance can transport audiences to a different time and place, to experience stories and emotions that take them away from their everyday lives – but to be able to do this in a fully immersive way takes this to a whole new level. I hope the powerful combination of nature, beautiful movement from the dancer and the immersive soundscape will help children feel calmer and less isolated in hospital. It’s so important that Northern Ballet finds innovative ways to use the opportunities presented by the digital world to make ballet even more accessible to new audiences. We will continue to complement our touring productions by exploring how we can bring dance to people who may not usually experience, or be able, to see ballet in a traditional theatre setting.”

“We are delighted to be partnering with Northern Ballet to support this innovative project at Leeds Children’s Hospital which explores how creativity and technology has the potential to resonate with children and young people in hospital. Being in hospital can be an anxious and isolating time, particularly for patients who are undergoing treatment or spending long periods away from home and normal routines. Through the power of dance, music, and virtual reality, we’re hopeful patients will respond positively to this pilot project and enjoy the opportunity to step outside the hospital environment for a few moments to experience something calming and uplifting. At Leeds Hospitals Charity, we are committed to championing projects that can lay the foundations for research that will improve patient wellbeing and help build evidence for new approaches to care. We’re proud to support this project that seeks to better understand how children respond to innovative interventions like this. We hope the feedback will contribute valuable insights for hospitals and healthcare providers across the UK.”