Creative Expressions: Therapeutic outlet for disabled adults
This past Friday, Creative Expressions Studio and the music therapy department at Georgia College & State University performed “A Noteworthy Review,” an evening of music from Bach to Broadway in A&S Auditorium.
Creative Expressions is part of the Baldwin County Life Enrichment Center, also known as the Baldwin County Service Center. This program provides those with developmental disabilities in Baldwin County the opportunity to achieve the goals in their lives while having fun.
Creative Expressions Studio works with students majoring in music therapy and the director of music therapy, Dr. Chesley Mercado. They work throughout the semester to create a performance for friends and family of those with developmental disabilities.
In the performance, there are five different groups that perform: the Harmonettes Handbell Choir, Harmonettes Vocal Choir, Good Vibrations, Circular Motion Dancers and Music in Motion. These five different groups give each of the adults with disabilities a choice in what they would like to perform. The adults with disabilities do rehearsals once a week at GCSU and are able to contribute in the selecting of music for the performance.
“Music therapy seems to be very helpful for this group of adults and you can see it in the performers faces that they enjoy it. They really light up when they are on stage. It is so sweet to see them really shine, … watching that performance made me even more excited about my future,” sophomore special education major Rachel Taylor said.
Music therapy is a process in which a trained music therapist uses music to help clients improve or maintain their health. This is used on individuals of all ages and with a variety of conditions such as physical handicaps, developmental disabilities and medical problems.
“I loved it. It was very touching and made me so happy and was very entertaining. Having watched this performance makes me more excited to work with different kinds of people and knowing that this is definitely what I want to do,” sophomore nursing major Chandler Murray said.
Creative Expressions is guided by principles. A few of these principles are: artists with disabilities and non-disabilities can share creativity and learn from each other, the arts provide avenues for self-determination and self-expression, and cognitive ability does not dictate creative potential. All of the principles Creative Expressions follow help portray a positive attitude for the adults with disabilities to follow as well.
Creative Expressions has a motto, “We are more alike than we are different.”
Posted by Colonnade Archives
on Nov 20 2009. Filed under Features.
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