Anna Kennedy Online – Autism Awareness Charity
Autism Dance Day 2023

Autism Dance Day 2023

Anna Kennedy Online celebrates Autism Dance Day 2023

We cannot believe it has been twelve years that we have celebrated Autism Dance Day!!!

Benefits of dance and movement for autistic children and adults:

  • Improved attention and concentration.
  • It gives freedom to be expressive of their emotions, using movements.
  • It helps enhance their social interactions and leads to the formation of relationships when placed in groups.
  • A therapist can help people to develop vocabulary skills, using the imitation of the repetitive movements the person engages in.Step in the Right Direction
  • They learn different patterns of movements required for daily activities.
  • Group sessions are best to develop communications and social skills.
  • Choreographed sequences can help in enhancing one’s memory.
  • Touch during therapy helps in reducing sensitivity to physical touch and helps build trust.
  • Improved body image.
  • It helps in developing body awareness and promotes general well-being.
  • Different planes of motion during therapy helps to stimulate verbal communication skills.
  • It also helps to strengthen fine motor skills.
  • It provides a platform for autistic individuals to build upon their social skills, which helps them further to understand the emotions and feeling of other people.
  • They learn to develop empathy.
  • It helps them to learn adaptation to different situations.

So, get your dancing shoes on and strike a pose and have fun!!! #dancelikenooneiswatching

Autism dance day takes place Friday 28th April 2023

Please tag Anna and the charity on Friday #autismdanceday:
Twitter: @Annakennedy1 
Instagram: @annakennedyobe 
Facebook: AnnaKennedyonline 

Please read below quotes below of how dance makes our supporters feel:

How dance makes me feel, it makes feel at ease, alive, and powerful.

It’s the same way when I make music, except I’m not writing words but instead moving to them and doing my own interpretation. Dance to me is basically just music but presenting and releasing my emotions in a non-lyrical form.

Ethan Khumalo

Ambassador

My thoughts become clear and calm, I feel free when I dance.

OJ Bridges

Young Patron

Here at Studio 4 we are an inclusive dance organisation that offer ALL young people and dancers an opportunity to express themselves. We celebrate that being different is COOL and encourage all those we work with to be kind and embrace who they are.

Working with young people with Autism has allowed our practice to evolve and be more inclusive. Teachers and dancers have learnt to be more patient, flexible and considerate of each other’s needs. We are proud to work with many young people with Autism and disabilities.

As an organisation we encourage ALL young people to achieve their absolute best.

Alice Walker

Founder/ Director, Studio 4 Dance CIC, Cornwall

T’mya loves to dance and says it makes her feel happy

T'mya Fyffe

Young Patron

Dancing helps me feel calm less stressed and gives me an energy boost I feel more confident now as I’m not the best dancer, but when I perform i feel it helps me send out positive vibes and it helps with my confidences and improves me emotionally, I feel happy and warm inside especially after a busy day at UNI.

Macauley Elvin

Ambassador

When I’m dancing I feel like me and alive, it also helps keep me healthy as I have a chronic lung condition

Josh Burgess

Young Patron

Pineapple Performing Arts School have had the pleasure of working with many children teens and adults on the autism spectrum, we have experienced such amazing rewards on many levels from seeing the progress, enjoyment and confidence dance gives them.

Good luck to Anna and the team on Autism Dance Day and “Keep Dancing”!

Maggie Paterson

Pineapple Performing Arts School

Dance gives me more confidence, it helps me express myself when I don’t know how to, when I’m stressed it makes me feel happier and helps with all my energy. When I Dance, I feel like I can just be me!!

Callum Kirrage

Young Patron

My passion of dance started from the age of 2 and since then it has given me the chance to express myself within performance as well as meeting fellow performers who’ve embraced dance as a passion or even a career.

Aston Avery

Ambassador

Ever since I was a tiny girl, I’ve seen the world and people in colours. Yellow is the ultimate as for me it means total joy.
When I dance, I feel bright yellow, free and I’m just undiluted Giuliana

Giuliana Wheater

Ambassador

“when you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way” Wayne Dyer

Daisy Hutchinson

Young Patron

#autismdanceday A little time to share as a couple … about us .. being us

Dawn and Keith Avery

Charity Champions

Autism Dance Day Campaign
Autism Dance Day 2022

Autism Dance Day 2022

Anna Kennedy Online celebrates Autism Dance Day 2022

We cannot believe it has been eleven years that we have celebrated Autism Dance Day!!!

Benefits of dance and movement for autistic children and adults:

  • Improved attention and concentration.
  • It gives freedom to be expressive of their emotions, using movements.
  • It helps enhance their social interactions and leads to the formation of relationships when placed in groups.
  • A therapist can help people to develop vocabulary skills, using the imitation of the repetitive movements the person engages in.Step in the Right Direction
  • They learn different patterns of movements required for daily activities.
  • Group sessions are best to develop communications and social skills.
  • Choreographed sequences can help in enhancing one’s memory.
  • Touch during therapy helps in reducing sensitivity to physical touch and helps build trust.
  • Improved body image.
  • It helps in developing body awareness and promotes general well-being.
  • Different planes of motion during therapy helps to stimulate verbal communication skills.
  • It also helps to strengthen fine motor skills.
  • It provides a platform for autistic individuals to build upon their social skills, which helps them further to understand the emotions and feeling of other people.
  • They learn to develop empathy.
  • It helps them to learn adaptation to different situations.

So, get your dancing shoes on and strike a pose and have fun!!! #dancelikenooneiswatching

Please tag Anna and the charity on Friday #autismdanceday:
Twitter: @Annakennedy1 
Instagram: @annakennedyobe 
Facebook: AnnaKennedyonline 

Please read below quotes below of how dance makes our supporters feel:

How dance makes me feel, it makes feel at ease, alive, and powerful.

It’s the same way when I make music, except I’m not writing words but instead moving to them and doing my own interpretation. Dance to me is basically just music but presenting and releasing my emotions in a non-lyrical form.

Ethan Khumalo

Ambassador

My thoughts become clear and calm, I feel free when I dance.

OJ Bridges

Young Patron

Here at Studio 4 we are an inclusive dance organisation that offer ALL young people and dancers an opportunity to express themselves. We celebrate that being different is COOL and encourage all those we work with to be kind and embrace who they are.

Working with young people with Autism has allowed our practice to evolve and be more inclusive. Teachers and dancers have learnt to be more patient, flexible and considerate of each other’s needs. We are proud to work with many young people with Autism and disabilities.

As an organisation we encourage ALL young people to achieve their absolute best.

Alice Walker

Founder/ Director, Studio 4 Dance CIC, Cornwall

T’mya loves to dance and says it makes her feel happy

T'mya Fyffe

Young Patron

Dancing helps me feel calm less stressed and gives me an energy boost I feel more confident now as I’m not the best dancer, but when I perform i feel it helps me send out positive vibes and it helps with my confidences and improves me emotionally, I feel happy and warm inside especially after a busy day at UNI.

Macauley Elvin

Ambassador

When I’m dancing I feel like me and alive, it also helps keep me healthy as I have a chronic lung condition

Josh Burgess

Young Patron

Pineapple Performing Arts School have had the pleasure of working with many children teens and adults on the autism spectrum, we have experienced such amazing rewards on many levels from seeing the progress, enjoyment and confidence dance gives them.

Good luck to Anna and the team on Autism Dance Day and “Keep Dancing”!

Maggie Paterson

Pineapple Performing Arts School

Dance gives me more confidence, it helps me express myself when I don’t know how to, when I’m stressed it makes me feel happier and helps with all my energy. When I Dance, I feel like I can just be me!!

Callum Kirrage

Young Patron

My passion of dance started from the age of 2 and since then it has given me the chance to express myself within performance as well as meeting fellow performers who’ve embraced dance as a passion or even a career.

Aston Avery

Ambassador

Ever since I was a tiny girl, I’ve seen the world and people in colours. Yellow is the ultimate as for me it means total joy.
When I dance, I feel bright yellow, free and I’m just undiluted Giuliana

Giuliana Wheater

Ambassador

“when you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way” Wayne Dyer

Daisy Hutchinson

Young Patron

#autismdanceday A little time to share as a couple … about us .. being us

Dawn and Keith Avery

Charity Champions

Autism Dance Day Campaign
Autism Dance Day 2023

Step in the Right Direction – Autism Dance Day 2022

Step in the Right Direction – Autism Dance Day 2022

Every year we celebrate Step in the Right Direction Autism Dance Day on the last Friday of April because of my love of dance throughout the years and in our first year we received UNESCO Patronage.

It was a fantastic success, and everyone was dancing across the country and overseas in schools, colleges, offices, youth clubs, warehouses, garages and in our lounge’s gardens at home in fact wherever we could find space we danced like no one was watching. We all know the positive benefits of dance for our children and adults on the autism spectrum and it’s so good for our mental health and well-being.

So, this year once again I am asking you to get your dancing shoes on and post your photos or videos of you dancing wherever you can find a space to celebrate dance and show the love. Everyone please join in share your moves and don’t be shy whoop!!!

T shirts and vests are available from www.bornanxious.co.uk.

For more news on this campaign, please click here.

#autismdanceday.

Announcing our winners for AKO Dance Day!

Announcing our winners for AKO Dance Day!

Announcing our winners for AKO Dance Day!

On Friday 30th April we celebrated  the tenth year of  ‘Step in the Right Direction Dance Day’!

The Winners of the AKO Dance Day T-Shirts are:

Gemma and Sophia Owens

Josh and Seb Burgess

Sammie Hayter

Louise Wood

Cayden and Bonnie Curtis

Tomas Milne

Srija Bhaduri

Ellie Porter

Kolby Macro

We would like to thank everyone that entered and a special thank you to Born Anxious who sponsored the winner’s T-shirts!

Born Anxious
Autism Dance Day 2022

Step in the Right Direction Dance Day is celebrating 10 years of Dance within the autism community

Step in the Right Direction Dance Day is celebrating 10 years of Dance within the autism community – join in!

This Friday we are celebrating ‘Step in the Right Direction Dance Day’, and this year we are excited to be in our 10th year whoop ?!!

We all know the positive benefits of dance for our children and adults on the autism spectrum and it is sooo good for our mental health, wellbeing and keeps us feeling young and boosts those feel-good endorphins. This year once again I am asking you to get your dancing shoes on and the lovely Kristina Rihanoff has kindly offered to support the charity and celebrate with us for our 10th year.

Please watch the video below and put on your dancing shoes and join in and finish it off with your own creativity dance steps and have some fun.

Please share your videos across social media and use the hashtag #AKODanceDay and tag Anna on Twitter @Annakennedy1 Facebook AnnaKennedyonline or Instagram @AnnakennedyOBE 

The 10 best videos will receive a ‘Dance Likes Noones Watching’ range in collaboration with Born Anxious T-shirt or vest in Black or Purple’.

So come on what are you waiting for and start practising for Friday. Show us your moves and Keep Dancing.  

Please dont forget to use the tag #AKODANCEDAY

Autism Dance Day 2021

by Please use this music to show us your moves!

We would like to thank Jake Wood, Sandi Bogle, Robin Windsor and Tanya Foy for the special messages on the video.

A massive thank you to Kristina Rihanoff for the dance routine and steps.

An especially huge thank you to Tally Nothey for creating the video and Born Anxious for working in collaboration with us once again.

Step in the Right Direction Autism Dance Day
Our campaign – Step in the Right Direction 2021

Our campaign – Step in the Right Direction 2021

Our campaign: Step in the Right Direction
Dance Day celebrating acceptance in the Autism community 2021

Our campaign - Step in the Right Direction 2021
Autism Dance Day Campaign

On the last Friday in April every year we celebrate Autism Dance Day, and this year will be no different and we will be in our 10th year whoop ?!!

We all know the positive benefits of #dance for our children and adults on the autism spectrum and it is sooo good for our mental health and wellbeing.

This year once again I am asking you to get your dancing shoes on and Kristina Rihanoff has kindly offered to support the charity and celebrate with us for our 10th year.

Last year the lovely Robin Windsor supported #danceday with us with a special message.

Once again you can share your photos or videos of you dancing wherever you can find a space to celebrate dance with the autism community.

In collaboration with Born Anxious we are also launching
‘Dance like no one is watching’
clothing range.

More news to follow soon …..

Our campaign - Step in the Right Direction 2021
Our campaign - Step in the Right Direction 2021
Dance Day Campaign