About Miriam

Miriam Schacter, Registered Psychotherapist and founder of danceABILITIES™ is a dance-intervention consultant and accessible-dance instructor. Miriam has been dancing since the age of 4 and has been trained in styles such as musical theatre, ballroom, modern/contemporary, ballet, contact improv, jazz and so on. With 3-years experience as a physiotherapy assistant in hospitals and clinics and 9-years training in psychodynamic and body inclusive psychotherapy, Miriam is delighted to offer much needed movement programs committed to our communities, medical centres, research studies, and the arts.

RECENT POSITIONS:

Current, In Private Practice; Current (since 2009), danceABILITIES™ Accessible-dance programs in community, long-term  care facilities, adult day-programs (Dementia and Alzheimers) and research-based studies

Program Consultant, Choreographer, Instructor for “Let’s Boogie: Can Dance Programs Help People with Lung Disease?” (University of Toronto/West Park Healthcare Centre; Dr. Dina Brooks; Dr. Kara Patterson)

2018, Presenter First International Symposium for Dance and Well-Being                      2016-2018, Project Manager, DWP Intergenerational Dance Project
2016, Presenter “First National Symposium for Dance and Well-Being: Collaboratively Advancing Research and Practice”
2016-17, Program Consultant, Choreographer, Instructor for “I Love to Boogie”: An Investigation of the Feasibility of a Dance Program to Improve Gait and Balance Post-Stroke (Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network, Dr. Kara Patterson)
2015, Co-choreographer, Instructor for Sheridan Centre for Elder Research: Dancing with Parkinson’s “A pilot evaluation of a specialized dance program for individuals with Parkinson’s”
2014, Choreographer, Instructor for Arthritis Society’s National “Move It” Campaign and subsequent walk-a-thons

2008-2017 Dancing with Parkinson’s

 

fullsizeoutput_17ecPrevious Clients:  Aphasia Institute, March of Dimes Stroke Survivor Groups, York University Dance Sciences, Branson Place Day Program, Greenview Lodge, Vallyview Day Program, Fudger House, U of T Physiotherapy, Dancing with Parkinson’s (incl. Sheridan Elder Research Center, Center for Movement Disorders, North York Seniors Center and Baycrest), UHN “Let’s Boogie: Dance and Lung Disease,” UHN “I Love to Boogie”, UHN Groove-D 2018, Toronto Western COPD Support Group and so on.