The Development of the Dance Smart Intervention: A Céilí Dance Exercise Intervention for People Living With Dementia and Their Care Partners (Dance Smart Intervention)

Niamh Kelly, Fiona Skelly, Kieran Dowd, Desmond O, Noel McCaffery, Clare McDermott, Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technological University of the Shannon, Age Related Healthcare, Tallaght University Hospital, Centre for Ageing, Neurosciences and the Humanities, Trinity College Dublin, ExWell Medical

Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice

Published online on March 19, 2026

Abstract

Dementia, Ahead of Print.
Dance is a form of exercise that engages motor, cognitive, social, and emotional skills (Charras et al., 2020). Céilí dance is a traditional Irish social dance offering physical and psychological health benefits, with the added benefit of a social ...