Health

Parkinson's – Dancing Away Symptoms

FLORIDA — ABOUT DANCE FOR PD: Dance for PD® offers dance classes for people with Parkinson's disease in Brooklyn, New York and, through our network of partners and associates, in more than 75 other communities around the world.  In Dance for PD® classes, participants are empowered to explore movement and music in ways that are refreshing, enjoyable, stimulating and creative. An on-going collaboration between the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group, the Dance for PD® program also provides teacher training and nurtures relationships among other organizations so that classes based on our model are widely available. (Source: www.danceforparkinsons.org)

THE DANCE FOR PD® APPROACH:
Dance for PD® teaching artists integrate movement from modern and theater dance, ballet, folk dance, tap, improvisation, and choreographic repertory. The Dance for PD® class is an aesthetic experience that uses the elements of narrative, imagery, live music and community to develop artistry and grace while addressing such PD-specific concerns as balance, flexibility, coordination, isolation and depression.  (Source: www.danceforparkinsons.org)

THE RESEARCH:
Several studies about the benefits of dancing for Parkinson's patients have been done in the U.S. and abroad.  For example: Dr. Sarah Ying from Johns Hopkins University led a 2009 study of a Dance for PD class based on the MMDG/BPG model and found objective improvement in gait mobility, as well as self-reported quality of life improvement, among nine participants with PD in a weekly one-hour class. According to the Neura's special report of June 2010, "After each series, the majority of patients reported the same or better scores on all 8 QoL [Quality of Life] domains measured by the Short Form (SF)-36." (Source: www.danceforparkinsons.org)

In June 2011, English National Ballet and University of Roehampton announced the findings of a groundbreaking research project that reveals that dance benefits people with Parkinson's by relieving debilitating symptoms, aiding short-term mobility and significantly improving stability, as well as contributing to social inclusion and artistic expression. (Source: www.danceforparkinsons.org)