Lake Erie Ballet announces a new program for people suffering from Parkinson Disease
In Dance for PD® classes, participants explore movement and music in ways that are enjoyable, stimulating and creative. A unique collaboration between the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group, a chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation, the program is built on one fundamental premise: professionally trained dancers are movement experts whose knowledge is useful to persons with PD.Dancers know all about stretching and strengthening muscles, and about balance and rhythm.
This popular class, which has been offered at the Mark Morris Dance Center in Brooklyn since 2001, is appropriate for anyone with PD, no matter how advanced. No dance experience is required. In chairs, at a barre or moving across the floor, you will explore elements of modern dance, ballet, tap, folk and social dancing, and Mark Morris company repertory in a non-pressured, social environment in which live music energizes, enriches and empowers.
Classes modeled after Dance for PD now occur in more than 40 communities in the US, Canada, Italy, India, Israel, UK and Germany. For more information, please visit www.danceforpd.org.
Impact of a weekly dance class on the functional mobility and on the quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's disease
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience | October 2011 | Volume 3 | Article 14
Abstract
The aims of the present study were to investigate (i) the short-term effects of dance (i.e., the effect immediately after the dance class) on motor control in individuals with PD and (ii) the long-term effects of 8 months of participation in the weekly dance class on the quality of life of the PD patients and their caregivers. The dance lessons took place in a ballet studio and were led by a professional dancer. Eleven people with moderate to severe PD (58–85 years old) were subjected to a motor and quality of life assessments. With respect to the motor assessments the unified Parkinson disease rating scale III (UPDRS III), the timed up and go test (TUG), and the Semitandem test (SeTa) before and after the dance class were used. With respect to the quality of life and well-being we applied quality of life scale (QOLS) as well as the Westheimer questionnaire. Additionally, we asked the caregivers to fill out the Questionnaire for caregivers. We found a significant beneficial short-term effect for the total score of the UPDRS motor score. The strongest improvements were in rigidity scores followed by significant improvements in hand movements, finger taps, and facial expression. No significant changes were found for TUG and for SeTa. The results of the questionnaires showed positive effects of the dance class on social life, health, body-feeling and mobility, and on everyday life competences of the PD patients. Beneficial effect was also found for the caregivers.The findings demonstrate that dance has beneficial effect on the functional mobility of individuals with PD. Further, dance improves the quality of life of the patients and their caregivers. Dance may lead to better therapeutic strategies as it is engaging and enjoyable.
Paradigm
The design of the PD dance class was a modified version of the weekly dance class offered by Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG)/Brooklyn Parkinson Group in New York since 2001 for patients with PD and their caregivers.
Contact
Prof. Dr. Rumyana Kristeva
Neurologische Universitätsklinik Freiburg
Breisacherstr. 64, D-79106 Freiburg
Tel: ++49.761.270-54110, Fax: -54160
e-mail: rumyana.kristeva@uniklinik-freiburg.de
