Blog 31…March 2014

“If I can’t dance, it’s not my revolution”… I like lots of Emma Goldman’s notions, maybe this one most of all. I saw a couple of flamenco films a while ago and was moved once again by the passion of those gypsy rhythms and the sense that it’s not just a dance but a central force of life. Salsa to classical ballet, hip-hop to whirling dervishes, alone or together in all kinds of weather, dance gets us up, gets us moving. That got me thinking about how dance has become the exercise of choice for some groups that you won’t meet on a regular dance floor or see on Dancing with the Stars.

As our population ages, the challenge to provide activity and support of many different kinds to our fellow citizens is gaining attention. One of the conditions that seems to be on the rise is Parkinson’s Disease, which, as it progresses, affects physical, psychological and social function.   

Dance with Parkinson’s is one inventive way to counter the imposed limitations and the movement is growing both here in Toronto and around the world. Using both choreographed and improvisational motion, the sessions provide a safe and enjoyable setting to improve core strength, balance, posture and gracefulness.  Often using live music, the groups can present a wide range of style and tempo, everyone working at their own speed, range and energy for that day. The instructors are trained to modify the dance to each individual’s level of comfort and ability, the music acting as an external cue to facilitate movement. 

Dance is also useful for individuals with dementia; music seems to unlock memory of movement, sometimes song lyrics do too, enabling people to sing even though they’re not able to speak.  Benefits to the cardiovascular as well as the psychological and emotional systems are valuable side effects.  Engaging in a normal activity, one that may evoke pleasant memories can be healthy and comforting for both the individuals and their friends and families.  So much has been lost; it’s encouraging to concentrate on what remains.

Dance is also making an appearance in prisons.  On Valentine’s Day, a group of inmates, both male and female, in a San Francisco jail danced as part of One Million Rising, a world wide event aimed at ending domestic violence. In  New York state, convicted murderers, drug dealers and sex offenders are put through their paces by an instructor who works their muscles and their minds to exhaustion…beats sewing mail bags, soon to be an obsolete task anyway.


So, let’s dance in whatever way we can, with whoever’s handy or by ourselves, wherever and whenever we have a chance to… it’s good for us.