Dance for Parkinsons Australia
We welcome everyone at all levels of ability and mobility as well as partners, friends, family and care givers to dance with us in the spirit of fun and artistic exploration.
Dance for PD Commenced at TheMark Morris Dance Company in Brooklyn USA and has now been embraced as a worldwide movement.
Dancing Your Way to a Better Quality of Life with Parkinson's - the Parkinson's Foundation states that exercise is "a vital component to maintaining balance, mobility and daily living activities, along with a potential neuroprotective effect."
"You don’t stop dancing because you grow old!
You grow old because you stop dancing"
Benefits of dance for people with PD
In the past couple of decades, more and more research has been done studying how different forms of dance might be helpful in treating PD. In fact, the Dance for PD website lists 38 scientific research studies on this topic. Research shows that dance can be especially beneficial for those with mild to moderate PD.3,4
Dance appears to be very helpful in improving gait and balance in Parkinson's patients. It also can provide social stimulation and support, which can be helpful in reducing depression and improving quality of life. Plus, dance stimulates cognitive functioning, an area that PD patients often struggle with.
Dance always involves music. This combination of movement to music can be powerful.
“We should consider every day lost on which we have not danced at least once”