Cincinnati Ballet is now providing therapeutic dance classes for those living with Parkinson’s Disease.
The ballet company announced in a press release that this program —CB Moves for Parkinson’s— was developed by choreographer Mark Morris in collaboration with the Cincinnati Ballet and Dancing with Parkinson’s Cincinnati.
Morris created this dance methodology for Parkinson’s with a focus on “movement and music to stimulate both the body and mind."
Dancers of all ages can participate in the classes, which provide a “supportive forum for fitness, expression, and community” by themselves or with a companion, the release says.
Parkinson’s Disease is often signified by tremors in the hands and the shuffling of the feet for those affected by it, according to the release. Muscle rigidity and issues with balance are also markers of the disease.
Some may think that dancing seems like a strange therapy for people living with this disease, but research actually says otherwise.
“Dance may be effective in targeting motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease because it incorporates the stretching and strengthening of muscles, and increases flexibility throughout the body, which may help maintain balance in people with Parkinson’s,” researchers at Northwestern University claimed in a 2018 study on the benefits of dance on people with Parkinson’s.
Classes cost $10 —financial aid is available— and are open to all Cincinnati area residents living with Parkinson’s Disease. Drop-ins are welcome, and no commitment is required.
Classes are held on Monday and Fridays at Cincinnati Ballet Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance, 1801 Gilbert Ave., Walnut Hills. There are also classes on Wednesdays at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center, 322 Wyoming Ave., Wyoming. Find more information at cballet.org.
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