Providing free movement classes for people affected by Parkinson’s disease

Dance for PD® originated as a collaboration between the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group, a chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation. The Dance for PD® teaching method 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. Most importantly, dancers know how to use their thoughts, imagination, eyes, ears, and touch to control their movements. While dancing, whether in chairs, at a barre, or standing, everyone in the class explores comfortable dance movements in an enjoyable, non-pressured, social environment in which live music energizes, enriches, and empowers.

These classes are appropriate for anyone with Parkinson’s disease, no matter how advanced. No dance experience is required, and all classes include live musical accompaniment. The classes combine elements of modern dance, ballet, tap, social dancing, Mark Morris’ choreography, and other repertoire to create an enjoyable, stimulating, and artistic experience for people with PD. The method has been presented at the International Congress for Parkinson’s™ in Berlin (2005) and the World Parkinson Congress in Washington, D.C. (2006). Articles about the class have appeared in Neurology Now among other publications.