Welcome to Be My Sunshine, the vibrant third season of our signature initiative, The Pulse of the Beats (TPOTB). Born out of a heartwarming moment when a nursing care beneficiary smiled and told our co-facilitators, “Thank you for being my sunshine!”, this programme has blossomed into a full-fledged movement.
Running from January to April 2026, Be My Sunshine is an innovative, intergenerational arts-wellness journey that uses dance, rhythm, and storytelling to spark joy, rejuvenate memories, and build deep community connections.
Our Objectives
At Maya Dance Theatre, we believe dance belongs to everyone. Be My Sunshine is built upon clear, actionable goals to advocate for holistic arts-wellness:
- Cultivating Inclusive Arts Access: Providing meaningful opportunities for seniors of all ages, backgrounds, and physical or cognitive abilities to engage deeply with the arts.
- Fostering Intergenerational Spaces: Creating a collaborative environment where seniors, tertiary youth, and diversely-abled dancers communicate, bond, and inspire one another as equals.
- Empowering Through Peer Modelling: Elevating active seniors into leadership roles to inspire healthy, vibrant lifestyles among their peers.
- Integrating Hybrid Wellness: Blending high-energy, on-site movement sessions with digital storytelling and collaborative design elements.
- Driving Public Awareness: Documenting our creative process through photography and video to highlight the profound, measurable benefits of intergenerational bonding.
Who We Worked With
Muslim Kidney Action Association (MKAC) & HCA Oasis @ Marsiling: Our deeply cherished, long-term partners. Returning for this cycle, we delivered intimate, full-form sessions deeply tailored to the psychological, cultural, and physical needs of their care beneficiaries.
Project SMILE: A dynamic new partnership with this Active Ageing senior group. Working with a large, highly mobile group of approximately 65 participants in a vibrant temple hall setting, we adapted our format to focus on high-energy, fast-paced movement.
The Legacy Ambassadors: Our incredible team of senior volunteers (aged 65 to 86 years), including leaders like Dexter Tai (84), Jean, and Devi. They stood at the frontline of our sessions, bridging the gap between generations.
Diverse Abilities Dance Collective (DADC): Maya Dance Theatre’s inclusive wing co-facilitated every session, providing specialized expertise in adaptive, accessible choreography.
How This Project Helps Our Seniors
Be My Sunshine delivers profound physical, cognitive, and emotional benefits tailored to the diverse needs of the seniors involved:
For Seniors in Care Settings & Homes
- Rejuvenating Memories: Through reminiscence arts, movement acts as a creative “time machine.” Seniors are given the time and space to walk back into their younger days, stimulating cognitive memory and emotional expression by sharing their favorite past stories.
- Accessible Physical Vitality: Utilizing dynamic, culturally resonant ethnic art forms—such as the fluid grace of Chinese ribbon fans and the rhythmic pulse of Indian Dandiya stick dancing—sessions are fully adapted for seated participants. This improves circulation, physical coordination, and motor skills safely.
- Combating Social Isolation: The regular presence of enthusiastic youth and inclusive dancers surrounds vulnerable or frail seniors with a supportive community, injecting pure joy and a sense of belonging into their daily routine.
For Our Legacy Ambassadors (Senior Volunteers)
- A Restored Sense of Purpose: By stepping up to plan segments, cue movement sequences, and co-lead reflections alongside professional DADC dancers, our Legacy Ambassadors embrace active ageing in its truest form. They transition from passive participants to impactful community leaders.
- The Power of Peer Modelling: Legacy Ambassadors serve as living inspiration for more frail seniors, demonstrating that ageing can be active, purposeful, and filled with artistic expression.
- Intergenerational Bonding & Joy: Working hand-in-hand with the youth provides our senior volunteers with a deeply fulfilling platform to pass down their lived experiences, swap life lessons, and feel mutually inspired by the younger generation.
Looking to the Future
Be My Sunshine is far more than a temporary three-month project; it is a blueprint for sustainable social change.
- A Lasting Digital Legacy: The genuine friendships forged during this journey have been preserved. We are bringing the project to the wider public through a Digital Photographic Exhibition, letting the community experience the factors related to senior wellness, their immense joy, and the power of intergenerational activities.
- Sustaining a Network of Care: By experiencing the deep, mutual benefits of arts-wellness, we aim to grow our pool of Legacy Ambassadors. We hope to inspire more retired seniors to “volunteer forward,” keeping the momentum alive and continuously carrying the sunshine of movement to senior care settings across Singapore.
