Jam Fest

Activity: Jam Fest

Target participant group: Both children and adults with Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities are the main focus.

Therapeutic potential of this activity: This activity increases socialization skills, helps people follow directions, and works on cognitive skills.

What other groups can benefit from this activity?: Anyone that loves to get up and dance can benefit from this activity and can experience the joys of dancing. Whether you can walk, talk, sing, or dance everyone is always welcome to join.

What groups may not be as appropriate for this activity?: Someone in a wheelchair may not be the best participant for Jam Fest since they may not be able to do all the moves that are being copied, but they can still just do whatever they are able to do.

Activity description: Everyone joins in a circle and one by one goes into the middle of it and do a movement. The people that are on the outside of the circle will imitate that movement and when the individual in the middle is ready to move on, they can go back to the outside of the circle and have someone else go into the middle and do their movement. Make sure everyone in the circle has a turn in the middle and you can go around as many times as you would like.

Resources needed: Music and participants are the only ingredients for a fun time in Jam Fest. Space may be needed also to allow enough room for the circle.

Best leadership style for this activity: Leadership may take a role in this activity to make sure that everyone in the circle gets a chance in the middle. Also making sure the music is appropriate for the age group.

Where did you find this activity?: I found this activity while doing a group presentation last semester on dance, and thought it would be really exciting to get around and do that as a group.

Where can others find more information on this activity?: If you go onto google and look up some information, it may be more descriptive and give you ideas for what dance moves you could start with and what music you can play for what generations.