Sweden: University of Gothenburg

In November 2024, Balbir Singh Dance Company took part in the international seminar "Co-Creative Healthcare and Research: Shifting mindsets from mechanistic to creative" in Gothenburg, Sweden. Organised and supported by The Gothenburg University Centre for Person-centred Care; the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Östra Hospital, Gothenburg; and the Research Network Gothenburg Pain Lab.

The three-day event brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, and artists to explore the role of creativity and the arts in healthcare research. As one of the international speakers, Balbir Singh presented the company’s innovative work in dance and health, highlighting movement as a vital form of communication, care, and connection in patient-centred approaches.

2024 to 2025

Promotional and Programme Materials

The Conferences

The seminar commenced with a series of thought-provoking presentations aimed at challenging traditional mechanistic views in healthcare an seeing things trhough a creative lens. The first day of the seminar includes presentations from:

Balbir Singh, Artistic Director of Balbir Singh Dance Company (UK)

Professor Mark I Johnson, Leeds Beckett University (UK)

Dr. Dila Demir, artist and researcher at rdthe Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonia)

The Workshops

Balbir Singh’s Workshop

Following the seminars, the programn transitioned from theory to practice with hands-on workshops designed to immerse participants in creative methodologies. Balbir Singh led an engaging session where attendees experienced firsthand the communicative power of movement with Devika Rao. Students, healthcare professionals, including nurses, therapists, and social workers, explored how dance can foster empathy and enhance patient interactions. The workshop provided a safe space for participants to step out of their comfort zones, encouraging a shift towards more holistic and creative approaches in their practices.

Dila Demir’s Workshop

Another creative workshop was led by Dila Demir, artist and researcher at the Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn. The workshop uses movement and hands-on materials to explore how participants feel and express pain. By creating Pain Creatures, a tangible forms of discomfort, it encourages new ways of understanding and connecting with the body.

Dancers

Devika Rao

Photographers

Balbir Singh
Devika Rao