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Mind-Body Healing at its Best: Dance for Parkinson’s Disease

19 Comments

It’s funny how many people feel a pang of hesitation, reluctance, or even fear when they’re invited to dance. Who hasn’t heard someone say, when being pulled onto the floor, “oh no, I can’t dance!”

I’ll admit, I leaned that way, too. I left the dancing to those with natural rhythm and “moves.”

My view has changed, though, because I’ve realized how much dancing embodies what our NICABM community is about – the connection between the mind, the body, and the spirit.
Others have realized this connection, too.

I invite you to watch the brief video below, which will provide you with an exciting glimpse of an innovative mind-body program called Dance for Parkinson’s Disease. For this unique therapy, I really think you’ll need to see the participants in action:

The film Why Dance for Parkinson’s Disease, excerpted here, was produced by the Brooklyn Parkinson Group and Mark Morris Dance Group, with funding provided by the National Parkinson Foundation.

You can find out more by visiting the Dance for PD® website

David Leventhal leads dance therapy

Photo Taken by Amber Star Merkens

The ideas behind the Dance for PD® program have applications far beyond treating symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. How could the Dance for PD® program principles be applied in your practice or community? Please share this information below and leave a comment.

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Related Posts: Body-Oriented Therapy, Exercise and Mental Health, Mindfulness

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19 Comments

  1. Caroline McGaughey, Coach, Atlanta, GA, USA says

    My Partner, who is 66 years old, was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last year. We noticed that he was experiencing hallucinations, slow movement, disturbed sleep, and twitchy hands and legs when at rest. He had to stop taking pramipexole (Sifrol), carbidopa/levodopa, and 2 mg of biperiden because of side effects. Our family doctor recommended a PD-5 treatment from naturalherbscentre. com, which my husband has been undergoing for several months now. Exercise has been very beneficial. He has shown great improvement with the treatment thus far. He is more active now, does more, and feels less apathetic. He has more energy and can do more activities in a day than he did before. As far as tremors I observe a progress, he improved drastically. I thought I would share my husband’s story in case it could be helpful, but ultimately you have to figure out what works best for you. Salutations and well wishes

    Reply
  2. David Wisner, Counseling, Atlanta, GA, USA says

    My Wife was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease when she was 52 years old 4 years ago. The levodopa did very little to help her. The medical team did even less. Her decline was rapid and devastating. It was muscle weakness at first, then her hands and tremors. Last year, a family friend told us about Natural Herbs Centre and their successful Parkinson’s Ayurveda TREATMENT, we visited their website and ordered their Parkinson’s Ayurveda protocol, i am happy to report the treatment effectively treated and reversed her Parkinson’s disease, most of her symptoms stopped, she is able to walk and her writing is becoming great, sleep well and exercise regularly., she is pretty active now

    Reply
  3. Ahmed Latif, Coach, AZ, AS, USA says

    I was diagnosed in UK 2013. i was diagnosed with the bulbar form of Parkinson’s disease(PD) and was given one year to live. My symptoms progressed quickly. Soon i was having difficulty standing, swallowing and even walking short distances. I’m now playing golf again. and i turned 72 today. i am glad to get my life back DON’T GIVE UP HOPE!!!

    Reply
  4. Bonnie Chismar, Counseling, Atlanta, GA, USA says

    My husband who had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease for 2 years at the age of 75 had all his symptoms reversed with Ayurveda medicine from naturalherbscentre. com after undergoing their Parkinson’s natural protocol. God Bless all Parkinson’s Caregivers. Stay Strong, take small moments throughout the day to thank yourself, to love your self, and pray to whatever faith, star, spiritual force you believe in and ask for strength. I can personally vouch for these remedy but you would probably need to decide what works best for you.

    Reply
  5. Mary Beardsley, Nursing, indianna, AL, USA says

    I’m living proof that you can live comfortably with COPD. I have emphysema, but emphysema doesn’t have me. After years of living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with a bronchodilator medication approach, I didn’t have much improvement till I started using World Rehabilitate Clinic Herbs Formula which has made a tremendous difference With a period of 2 months. They specialize in internal and pulmonary medicine, all my symptoms have declined completely, I feel normal again, but I have a few weeks left completing the treatment. I can now go about my daily activities. It’s also crucial to learn as much as you can about your diagnosis. Seek options visit ( worldrehabilitateclinic. com).  

    Reply
  6. Linda Kay, Coach, DE says

    „Es überrascht mich immer wieder, wie sehr Kräutermedizin meine Parkinson-Krankheit bekämpft hat – ohne Nebenwirkungen oder Mond. Neben der Abtötung meiner Parkinson-Zellen, die für mich der wichtigste Faktor ist, half die Kräutermedizin auch bei Schmerzen und Übelkeit. In der Tat hat sich die Qualität meines Lebens rundum verbessert. Dank der von mir beschafften Kräutermedizin von Moon bin ich aufgrund meiner wachsenden Erfahrung und der Erweiterung der Daten zu klinischen Studien immer sicherer in der Kräutermedizin und bin jetzt Parkinson-FREI und teile diese Aussage. Kontaktieren Sie ihn per E-Mail: arthurmoon01@gmail.com ] für Ihre eigene Heilung Gott segne Sie Mond ”

    Mit freundlichen Grüßen
    Linda Kay

    Reply
  7. Rocky Elves, Clergy, DE says

    Ich möchte Arthur Moon von der Kräutermedizin dafür schätzen, dass er mir geholfen hat, meine Kräutermedizin zu bekommen, und ich war gerade dabei, meine Eigenschaften der Heilung der Parkinson-Krankheit zu verkaufen, bis ich im Internet einen Beitrag darüber sah, wie ein Freund aus Deutschland Kräutermedizin erhielt Das Arthur Moon Kräuterheilmittel und ich haben uns auch mit dem gleichen Glauben beworben. und ich bekam meine Kräutermedizin ohne Stress, nachdem ich den Zahlungsbedingungen der Firma zugestimmt hatte. Vermeiden Sie jetzt Internetbetrug!, Bildung usw. Kontaktieren Sie das Arthur Moon Kräuterheilmittel per E-Mail. [ arthurmoon01@gmail.com
     

    Reply
  8. Brown Kyanne Michelle, Chiropractor, New York, NY, USA says

    ” I am here to express my profound warm gratitude to the Arthur Moon medicine, which i got from Dr Arthur Moon. I am now leaving a healthy life since the past 1 Year i am now Parkinson disease free after the application and usage. You can contact for your medication from via Email [ arthurmoon01@gmail.com ]. Wish you all the best and a happy healing. Thanks and God Bless you for your help, i will keep on help you to fight Parkinson disease in the World.
    Sincerely
    Brown Kyanne Michelle

    Reply
  9. Wanda Akmal says

    There are a handful of fascinating points at some point in the following paragraphs but I do not know if they all center to heart. There exists some validity but Let me take hold opinion until I appear into it further. Fantastic post , thanks and then we want a great deal a lot more! Included in FeedBurner at exactly the same time

    Reply
  10. Jane Vigon says

    I saw this in a tiny remote village in South West France, and invited a lady in the village who has PD to watch it with me and her friend. We talked about it, went onto YouTube, and, and hour later, our last dance was a stand up but modified tango! The friends have agreed to dance together in the afternoons to their favorite recordings! The lady with PD normally has difficulty walking and, at best, uses 2 canes! Both friends were excited enthused and energised by this wonderful activity. Thanks so much for sharing it.

    Reply
  11. Maria says

    02/09/2011
    I know how important dance is to the individual. It gives you confidence, grace, releif of tension, happiness, joy to be alive. There are so many benefits available that I wonder why it is not incorporated in all therapy centers. This video was so beautiful.
    God bless you with great success in spreading this therapy everywhere.

    Reply
  12. Fran Englander says

    This is lovely, but as a trained, certified, and licensed Art Therapist, I find it frustrating that nowhere is there mention of Dance Therapy, Music Therapy, or any of the other Creative Arts Therapies. There absolutely is value in all the arts; there can also be risks that are not recognized, and there may be optimal matches between participants and activities that, without the underlying theoretical understanding, may also not be recognized. Creative Arts Therapists are specifically trained to relate to and recognize these factors, having been immersed both in the art(s) and in theories of psychology and human growth and development. Despite this, Creative Arts Therapists seem to be regularly unknown, overlooked and/or dismissed.

    Reply
  13. Lizbeth Hamlin says

    As a Authentic Movement teacher for years and tango dancer…this is so moving to the joy of dance and connections. My one group that I lead is filled with many elders all the way up to 85! As a psychotherapist as well, I integrate movement into my practice and this connects us to our deeper understanding of our human nature. Thank you for posting this and I hope to do more of this work in the coming years!

    Reply
  14. Lisa Rosof says

    Being a movement educator with a flavor for freedom, flow and creativity, it was gratifying for me to see this video on the NICABM blog. I have been familiar with Mark Morris for many, many years appreciating his work. This video once again reminded me of the vast space between mind and body that can be lovingly inhabited when one works from the heart. Thank you for sharing this.

    Reply
  15. Sara Firman says

    Like Carol, I too cried since the enjoyment and connection of the dancers was so utterly palpable. It was clear that even those with the least movement were enjoying participation thoroughly. Perhaps you CAN get your husband to watch the clip Carol. (Your love for him is palpable too.)

    Reply
  16. carol percival says

    What an incredible, wonderful idea. I cried with her too as i watched them share and pass the energy around the circle.
    I wish i could get my husband to do something like this—our marriage is in tatters and he won’t talk about anything. I’ve tried exchanging letters but there is a huge emotional curtain up on his side–nothing new!!
    But he loves to touch others!! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he could open himself up to energy flow before he dies. He’s 76–i’m lots younger(62).
    Thank you so much for sharing this with us all.. Carol

    Reply
    • Marisa says

      November 6, 2012 at 1:15 pm Virtually all of what you claim happens to be suirnisppgly legitimate and that makes me ponder why I had not looked at this in this light before. Your article truly did switch the light on for me as far as this specific subject goes. But there is actually 1 position I am not necessarily too comfortable with so while I attempt to reconcile that with the core idea of your point, let me observe just what all the rest of your subscribers have to point out.Very well done.

      Reply
  17. Kathy Judge says

    This is incredibly wonderful – so enriching and such a wonderful, simple and effective tool to contend with the effects of Parkinson’s (to say nothing of aging (~!~))on mind, body and spirit!. Thank you SO much for sharing it -My mom had Parkinson’s… and early in her professional life taught PE and dance at Queen’s College in NY (p her first Master’s degree — MA Ed) and later was a guidance counselor( p her 2nd Masters in Guidance and Counseling)still loved to dance, Parkinson’s notwithstanding … She would have really thrived and delighted in this program! She was diagnosed w PD at 60 yrs old and died at age 79 in 1995. She danced regularly w my father until his death in 1988. My 6 siblings would all agree c me — Mom would have LOVED this idea!!
    Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
    PS I have no doubt that she’s in Heaven, organizing the place and time for the next dance session as I write this…(~!~)!
    Kathy Judge

    Reply

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