Chapter 5:
Elderly Empowerment: Promoting Social Wellbeing and Health through Thai Dance
DOI: 10.54165/9789887928522/05
ShawHong Ser, Kraisorn Juntanoy
This article is written based on research that demonstrates that Thai dance has a role in elderly empowerment and can be employed as an instrument within wider elderly care management in Thailand. As illustrated by a case study from the Suan-Oy Community Center for all Ages Group in the Dusit district of Bangkok, Thai dance can collaborate in a unique, dynamic partnership with a community development program to empower the aged population. The material used for this article primarily comes from in-depth interviews with key informants from the Suan-Oy Community Center, focus group discussions with the elderly from the Thai dance class, and viewpoints from leading scholars in the field of Thai dance and cultural management in Thailand. This article will provide insights into an understanding of how and in what ways Thai dance can be offered to promote mental and physical wellness among the aged population that often have lower participation in physical and cultural activity.
To cite:
Ser, ShawHong and Juntanoy, Kraisorn, “Elderly Empowerment: Promoting Social Wellbeing and Health through Thai Dance”. In Empower Arts, Animate Communities, edited by Benny Lim & Hing-kay Oscar Ho, 63-76. Hong Kong: Department of Cultural and Religious Studies, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2021. https://doi.org/10.54165/9789887928522/05
