Kairos Alive!

WATCH: We encourage people to believe, belong, and act!

We empower connection, hope, and well-being in elders, people with disabilities, their families, caregivers and communities through dance, music, theater, and arts and health research, NeuroArts, learning.

In addition to our popular in-person community events, we a Zoom-delivered, 2-way interactive "TV show," Kairos Clubhouse™. It's an exciting mix between Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, Reading Rainbow, American Bandstand and Science Friday. 

WHO: Kairos Clubhouse™ participants include people at senior centers and organizations who serve people with disabilities, carepartners of all ages and individuals. in the Twin Cities, throughout Minnesota, region, country and internationally

WHAT WE DO: Kairos Alive! transforms lives through dance and story, and raises awareness of the importance of creative involvement across the lifespan for verifiable health benefits. Our Choreography of Care™ programs promote personal and community well-being through our Intergenerational Dance Hall™ public participation events, our Dancing Heart™ weekly programming, our Community Arts & Wellbeing™ Residencies, and our Digital Dance Floor/Kairos Clubhouse™ weekly 2-way online interactive arts and health engagement show. 

We empower intergenerational and intercultural communities through participatory dance, music and theater — with elders and people with disabilties at the center.

BACKGROUND: Kairos Alive! is a 27-year-old Minnesota nonprofit, research-based, arts and health organization based in inclusive dance, music and theater, where everyone belongs. Powered by artists and teachers of all ages and abilities Kairos Alive! is a recognized pioneer in the Arts and Health/Creative Aging movements. Our intergenerational and intercultural Choreography of Care™ model and programs have won national awards from the American Public Health Association and the American Society on Aging. They are recognized as models by the National Center for Creative Aging and the National Endowment for the Arts and were featured in the PBS documentary, ARTS AND THE MIND, and Bradley Cooper's WELLBEING series on caregiving. To date, six studies have been based on the work of Kairos, which simultaneously addresses social, emotional, and physical determinants of health. Work like Kairos’ is shown to result in less depression, better balance, fewer falls, maintenance of cognition, an increase in activities, fewer doctor visits, less medication use, and better overall health. (A 17-page literature review relevant to our work is available.) Kairos has spent 6 years developing popular online webcasts linking participants in the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota, Wisconsin, California and Florida. 

CURRENT PROJECTS: There are two major current projects: (1) A 2-way arts and health engagement webcast, Kairos Clubhouse™, reaching participants in the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota, supported by multiple funders, (2) An in-person arts and health engagement programs and training with MN Deaf Equity, Centro Tyrone Guzman, Martin Luther Senior Campus other partners.

WATCH THIS STORY ABOUT OUR IN-PERSON AND 2-WAY WEBCAST PROGRAMS: