Worldwide there is a growing move to provide prisoners with an experience of dance as a means of improving confidence, self esteem, and in many cases increasing self-awareness. For all the participants, this is a unique opportunity to express themselves in a safe environment.

“Incorporating a dance program similar to the RNZB in Canadian prisons would be highly beneficial to the health and wellbeing of prisoners,” write authors Dr Sylvie Frigon and Jana Skorstengaard from the Department of Criminology at the University of Ottawa. Entitled The Royal New Zealand Ballet and the Power of Dance in Prison, the article is based on research conducted with the RNZB in 2020 where Jana interviewed all seven of the dance educators and dance tutors involved since the project was first delivered at Arohata Women’s Prison in 2017. It discusses ways in which dance helps bring a sense of joy and meaning to the lives of the prisoners.