Dance Medicine

MEet Elisha, Founder of dance medicine

Greetings

Thank you for being here. I've found great joy and healing in drum and dance; an integral part of life for my ancestors from Jamaica, Scotland, Portugal and West Africa. I feel grateful to be able to share this good medicine.

Healing and dancing in West Africa

Below is a video from 2014 that shares about my journey with dance medicine; how rhythm and movement offered me a refuge of healing from a young age, and the influence of studying drum and dance in Guinea, West Africa.

Also below you'll see links that connect to my community building work that aims to foster intergenerational connection and deconstruct anti-Black racism and racism of all forms!

about elisha cont'D

Elisha MacMillan, BA Hons, CPCC, is a mixed-ancestry dancer, sociologist, women's coach and filmmaker. Elisha supports people to deepen relationship with their wise body, navigate trauma and access inner resources through rhythm and movement. She offers in-person retreats, online dance events and one-to-one coaching. Drum and dance medicine is woven throughout her work, an integral part of life for her ancestors from Jamaica, Scotland and West Africa. Since 2009 Elisha's worked with thousands of movers and shakers across Canada, USA, Europe, India and Australia and has led movement retreats in Bali, Costa Rica, Canada and Finland.

From 2006-2012, Elisha had a career performing drum and dance alongside established artists from across the African continent touring nationally and internationally. Her experiences of healing and transformation while studying dance in Guinea, Mali, Ethiopia and Brazil inform her current philosophy of Dance Medicine.

drum and dance in community

During the past 15 years, Elisha has offered rhythm and movement based programs with several organizations including:

York University, University of Waterloo, Canadian Mental Health Association, ParaSport Ontario, e-CAMP MENTORing, Girl Guides of Canada, Children's Aid of Society of Durham Region, Frontenac Youth Services, African Canadian Cultural Council Foundation, Markham Seniors Activity Centre, Aurora Seniors Centre, Girls Inc., YRDSB Quest Conference, Luminato Festival, Hillside Festival

And the following school boards: York Region (YRDSB), Durham Catholic District (DCDSB), Durham (DDSB), , Toronto (TDSB) Kawartha Pine Ridge (KPRDSB), Peel Region DSB, Espoo, Finland (ESBO) and Helsinki Rudolf Steiner School (Finland).

For more info about Elisha's work in schools and with community organizations visit: rhythmisforeveryone.com

COMMUNITY BUILDING THROUGH RHYTHM AND MOVEMENT

Equity and Intergenerational Connection

Growing up living in a multicultural, multigenerational home gave me a direct experience of the benefits of intergenerational connection. I cherished my grandparents and often turned to them for comfort and guidance. I loved listening to my grandma's stories of growing up in Jamaica and learning about our diverse ancestral lineages. Elders sharing wisdom, love and cultural knowledge with youth was mirrored back to me on my travels in Guinea, Mali and Ethiopia. I've been piloting community building projects with a focus on intergenerational connection and equity for the past 12 years. Based on this work I founded Rhythm is for Everyone and co-founded the InterGenerational Hub. The below film, Lessons Learned, follows a 2018/2019 pilot project. A new film based on current work is in process!

ABOUT ELISHA MACMILLAN, Mixed Ancestry Dancer & Sociologist