At the centre of our being is the breath and this supports all manner of movement - the blood in our veins, the bacteria in our gut, the neurons in our brains. It’s true to say that from conception to grave, we are in motion.
It’s called the dance of life and just as music is known as the universal language so dancing is the natural response to rhythm and melody. If you sway, tap your feet, handclap, snap fingers or blink to the beat, then you are dancing.
This is especially true with Parkinson’s, where the benefits of dancing are the way it opens neural pathways to improve posture, suppleness and balance, as well as our ability to imagine and connect, to speak without words and of course to have fun.
So, Paul, enough words… just shut up and dance!
Paul Atherton
Dancer
"The hardest thing to change in people is the belief that they cannot change."
Dr M Feldenkrais The Awareness through Movement founder
"The evidence is incontrovertible; for your brain to function at its peak, your body needs to move." SPARK! Dr John Ratey and Eric Hagerman
Photo by Rachael James
Click here to find a dance for Parkinson’s class near you