The Dance Ability Movement welcomes students to complete placements with our community. When we can make it work – this is a mutually beneficial endeavor. Through students’ active involvement with our community, we welcome new insights and fresh ideas while also supporting mutual learning and growth. This year we had one Master’s Student Occupational Therapist from the University of Toronto for 6-weeks (Briar), and were delighted to welcome our first student from the Integrated Rehabilitation and Humanities (IRH) undergraduate program at McMaster University (Zainab). We have invited Briar and Zainab to share some reflections from their time with the DAM community.

8 Female Team members stand together wearing dance ability black tshirts

Briar, with some of our Mississauga Team members posing on Photo Day

My experience at DAM as a Student Occupational Therapist (OT)!

Throughout my 6-week placement, I built meaningful friendships, learned new dance moves, and gained a new perspective of the role of occupational therapy in dance settings! By working closely with the dance instructors, occupational therapists, volunteers, and dancers, I witnessed how dance is a powerful tool for dancers to express themselves through music and build self-confidence. DAM creates environments where individuals can truly be who they are, fostering community and a sense of belonging. This is exactly how I felt coming into DAM. From the very beginning, everyone was incredibly welcoming and kind, despite only being here for 6 weeks. I truly felt a part of the DAM family!

 

Here are some things I’ve learned while being at DAM:

  1. Be patient: Allowing dancers to take the lead helped me meet individuals where they were at and better understand their unique strengths and needs. I learned the importance of assuming competence first and creating spaces where individuals can express themselves freely. 
  2. Connection matters: Throughout my placement, I built strong connections with the dancers, and I always looked forward to coming to the dance studio every week to see my new friends. I learned that building meaningful relationships helps create a safe and supportive environment where individuals feel valued, included, and comfortable expressing themselves.
  3. Don’t forget to have fun: DAM highlights how occupational therapy can extend beyond traditional healthcare settings. It creates fun and enjoyable environments, fostering participation and meaningful occupational engagement for everyone!

Thank you for having me, DAM! 

Briar 🙂

11 Female team members wearing black dance ability tshirts pose for the camera grouped together

Zainab, with some of our Milton Team Members on Photo Day- Photo by Henry Mendel

My experience at DAM as an IRH Undergraduate Student!

My experience at DAM was unexpectedly impactful. What struck me most was how visible the sense of community was, not through any formal effort, but through ordinary interactions. I saw it in the conversations between parents before and after class, many of whom seemed to understand one another in ways that did not require much explanation. I saw it in the relationships between dancers, where enthusiasm was often shared rather than individual. Over time, I stopped viewing DAM as a dance studio and began to see it as a gathering place built around connection. Being welcomed into that environment gave me a greater appreciation for how important spaces like this are, not only for participants, but for the families and relationships that grow around them.

This placement taught me far more about myself than I anticipated. I learned that confidence is much more situational than I once believed. In academic settings, I am often comfortable contributing ideas and speaking openly, yet I found myself unexpectedly hesitant in unfamiliar situations, particularly when interacting with parents or navigating responsibilities that felt new to me. The placement forced me to examine where that hesitation came from and to become more comfortable acting despite uncertainty. It also made me more conscious of how easily assumptions shape perception. Some of the most valuable lessons came from realizing that my initial interpretation of a situation, a person, or even my own abilities were not always accurate. As a result, I have become more reflective, more attentive, and more willing to question my first impressions before treating them as fact.
– Zainab
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Briar & Zainab – Thank you both for sharing your reflections on your time with DAM! We wish you both all the best moving forward!

We would also like to thank Occupational Therapists, Emma Greenberg and Saba Malik for their commitment to supervising, mentoring and supporting students this year at The Dance Ability Movement – and of course to everyone in the DAM community itself for creating the welcoming, safe space for everyone to learn and support one another!