Disability 2025 winners: icandance

Why it won

• Innovation: The model seeks to benefit the whole child, whereas many therapies focus on just one aspect of their disability.
• Effectiveness: In one year, all of its 300+ young dancers showed improvement in learning, creativity and wellbeing.
• Sustainability: The charity has been running its unique programme for almost 20 years.

icandance was founded in 2006 by trained dance movement psychotherapist, Juliet Diener, when she realised that traditional therapies for disabled children – such as physiotherapy and speech therapy – were failing to address the whole child, leaving many unable to properly express their emotions or engage socially.

The need for its work became clear through direct engagement with families, schools, and healthcare professionals who highlighted the lack of accessible, holistic therapeutic options for disabled children.

Many parents shared that those existing services either felt too clinical, failed to engage their child meaningfully, or did not address the complex interplay of physical, emotional, and social needs.

Diener felt that dance movement psychotherapy could offer disabled children a more creative, holistic alternative to other therapies, and icandance was born.

It developed an innovative approach which integrates dance movement psychotherapy with special needs education, dance techniques, creative expression, and community. It was registered as a charity in 2010.

The charity offers group therapy, one-to-one support, and family engagement sessions across London, which are led by trained therapists, dance practitioners, and volunteers who specialise in working with children with complex needs. Through movement, music, and guided interaction, icandance empowers children to explore their bodies, communicate non-verbally, and experience joy and connection in a safe, accepting environment.

icandance has impacted over 2,000 disabled children since its founding, with 300 children attending weekly sessions. These children experience profound physical, emotional, and social improvements, demonstrating the dance movement psychotherapy-based approach.

In the financial year 2023-24, the charity facilitated 1,155 dance sessions; 15 dance performances; and 231 hours of dance sessions. All of its 300+ young dancers showed improvement in learning, creativity, and wellbeing.

Some 92% of families whose children attend the charity’s sessions noted that icandance offers their child a creative outlet to express themselves, while also developing their understanding and skills to better support their child.

Charity Awards judge Sharika Sharma, head of business development at CCLA, said the application showed good evidence of impact, adding: “The words from a parent about their child being ‘truly seen and celebrated’ speaks volumes.”

Katie Ghose, chief executive of disability charity KIDS, described icandance as “innovative and truly holistic”. She added that the project deserved recognition because “the opportunities for disabled children to be themselves and to be enabled to move and dance and perform are shockingly few and far between”.

icandance.org.uk

CC Reg. no. 1137695