For People With Parkinson’s Disease, Dance Can Bring Back Joy In Movement

“Some small, short-term studies that suggest dance might improve some of those symptoms, especially ease of walking. But Leventhal says the class was never intended as just physical therapy. ‘There’s also an artistic quality,” he says, “where we’re hoping people are able to say something with those gestures.’ This is particularly relevant to people with Parkinson’s, who start to lose their expressive ability.”