Dance On Supports Ageing Inquiry

We are proud to share that insights from our Dance On programme have been submitted to the UK Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into Healthy Ageing: physical activity in an ageing society.

The inquiry is exploring the ways that physical activity can prevent and reduce ill health, and the Committee is especially focused on how increasing physical activity levels could have an impact on reducing the gap in healthy life expectancy between older people in the most and least deprived regions.

Dance On is a co-designed, dance-based physical activity programme for adults aged 55+, delivered across communities in Yorkshire. This work was originally funded by Sport England, with matched funding from Leeds, Bradford, and Doncaster City Councils. More recently, delivery of the programme in Doncaster has been supported by Get Doncaster Moving through the Sport England Local Delivery Pilot.

By working in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation, Dance On brings joy, movement, and connection to older adults, helping to prevent loneliness and ill health through accessible creative activity. As the UK population continues to age, supporting physical activity in later life is not just a health issue – it is critical to social care, mental wellbeing, and community resilience.

The written evidence was submitted collaboratively by Professor Sarah Astill (University of Leeds), Lucy Robertshaw and Charlotte Armitage (darts), Hannah Robertshaw and Adie Nivison (Yorkshire Dance), and Jodie Bridger (Get Doncaster Moving; City of Doncaster Council), reflecting the strength of partnership behind Dance On.

We are proud to contribute to this important national conversation and look forward to sharing updates as the Committee publishes its findings.