Dance sessions help people with Parkinsons

National Dance Company of Wales (NDCW) have created a series of workshops designed to help people suffering with Parkinson’s disease, with our sponsorship.

WPD’s Team Support Kayleigh Baldwin pictured taking part in one of the Dance for Parkinson’s workshops at Blackwood Miners Institute.

The workshop sessions are both creative and expressive with the aim of promoting feelings of freedom from the physical and social constraints of living with the disease.

The funding has enabled NDCW to provide a series of monthly Dance for Parkinson’s sessions in Cardiff and Blackwood, and now NDCW has launched a short film called Reflections to promote the workshops.

Reflections is a touching and uplifting film danced by participants of the NDCWales’ Dance for Parkinson’s programme and is now available to watch, along with a mini-documentary online.

The film is the best example of NDCWales’ ongoing commitment to making dance for everybody, and every ability as it has the power to improve both mental and physical wellbeing.

NDCW Artistic Director Fearghus Ó Conchúir prepared the film’s choreography throughout the Dance for Parkinson’s classes this spring with class leaders Yvette C Halfhide and Helen Woods. Filmmaker Jonathan Dunn shot and edited the piece.

Fearghus explained: “All kinds of people can move, they move in different ways, they bring different knowledge, different kinds of bodies and experiences, but for me, creativity is a way to help that be visible, to show how dance can be different.

“It's been important to build a choreography, and a way of working that could look after and respect and cherish the individuality of all the different people who are participating and that means on their good days, and on the days that are not so easy for them.”

WPD Corporate Communications Officer Karen Welch said: “We are delighted to support the dance sessions which have proved to be very popular and successful. At the sessions we take the opportunity to provide information and advice about our free Priority Services Register to those attending the workshops.”

Dance class participant Wendy said: “Not only do you get to the opportunity to meet other people who are living with Parkinson's, but we also get a lot of satisfaction from the sessions. It’s wonderful to know that you can all laugh even though you've got this terrible illness, you want to go on, life hasn't finished.”

To view the film Reflections click here.

View the Dance for Parkinson's video here.