Dance helps people with Parkinson's disease find joy in movement

Dance helps people with Parkinson's disease find joy in movement "It is cold outside, but let's move our bodies and dance," Dance for PD instructor Kim Mu-hyun said during an online session held over Zoom, Dec. 17, participated in by 10 patients with Parkinson's disease. During the one-hour class, the patients, who were seated, started to follow Kim's instructions which were for simple movements of the arms and hands. Some of them had to get help from their care partners(간호인), but most of the time it appeared that they followed the movements of the instructor and enjoyed moving their bodies to classical and upbeat dance music. Not many people, even the patients themselves, expected that sufferers from Parkinson's would be able to dance because the neurological disease(신경질환) basically makes movement problematic as nerv. e- muscle interfaces(신경근육 접점) break down, making even simple body movements difficult with symptoms such as tremors(떨림), rigidity(경직), slowness and problems with balance. At the moment, treatments cannot cure the disease, only slow its progression. However, Dance for PD, created in the U.S. and now operating in more than 300 communities in 25 countries and introduced to Korea 2017 to give dancers work, helps patients mimic dance movements to release the joy of movement. Furthermore, although there is little documentary evidence(증거자료), many patients in Korea have found the dancing eases their symptoms. "One of the symptoms of the disease is that sufferers have difficulty making facial expressions(얼굴 표정). A patient who joined the program in 2017 was unable to control their facial muscles, but after a few years they were able to make some expressions and also showed some improvement in walking. It was a rewarding moment for me as a teacher," Kim told The Korea Times, adding that dance can be help people both mentally and physically. The program not only helps patients cope with(~에 대처 하다) the disease, but also works as therapy as many people tend to isolate themselves due to it. "Through the program, patients and care partners are able to interact with each other and get updates about the disease, which help them cope with depression and other issues. For me, the program is like an oasis in a dessert," Kim added.