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History of Dance at the WPC
Dance holds profound significance for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease and the WPC recognized this from day one when it included a moving dance performance at the opening ceremony in 2006. In addition to fostering physical movement experiences, dance serves as a creative channel for self-expression, allowing individuals to convey emotions and narratives through an art form that transcends language barriers. Inclusive by nature, dance welcomes participants of all skill levels, cultivating a sense of accomplishment and community. Research underscores its therapeutic benefits, enhancing coordination and communication between the mind and body. The videos, performances and materials on this page stand as a living legacy, paying tribute to the way Dance is part of the overall creativity that is woven through all parts of the World Parkinson Congress experience. The WPC has always believed that the power of dance helps to uplift spirits and showcase the enduring beauty of movement.
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WPC Dance Projects
Since 2019, WPC Dance Projects have invited the global community to participate in worldwide celebrations and collaborations based on dance, culminating in film projects exhibited throughout the WPC. Groups of all sizes were encouraged to submit two and a half minute dance videos, with or without music, expressing their unique identities through dance to create a living legacy that’s sustained well past the end of each Congress. Participants have been invited to incorporate the theme of the congress or their representations into their performances.
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The Crane Dance Project (Clara Kluge, 2019)
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 The PD Crane Dance Project was inspired by an art installation called Soaring for Hope, which involved the hand creation of thousands of origami cranes and accompanying messages. Dance artists from across the globe choreographed, filmed ,and shared creative movement pieces, culminating in a compilation video premiered at the 5th World Parkinson Congress in Kyoto, from June 4-7, 2019. More than 1,200 dance and music artists from 120 dance groups in 17 countries contributed to this extraordinary project. These brief dances, inspired by origami cranes, were stitched together into a seamless video spanning over 5 hours.
Over the next year, this page will highlight over 140 videos, starting with the first 18 listed below, inviting you to immerse yourself in the beauty, artistry and dedication of these dancers and choreographers.
1. Dance of Friendship, Hope, Happiness, Hamburg, Germany
2. Gloucester Cranes, Parkinson's Fitness/Rose Baker Senior Center, Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA
3. Les Oiseaux, Kinésiphilia, Leìge, Belgium
4. Unity and Solidarity, Dance for Health,
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
5. Soaring With Hope In Dallas, Dallas Dance for PD®, Dallas,Texas, USA
6. Projekt:tanz for PD Crane Dance Project, projekt:tanz, Hamburg, Germany
7. Crane Dance, Power for Parkinson's,
Austin, Texas, USA
8. Crane Dance, Invertigo Dance,
Los Angeles, California, USA
9. Together, Park'n Dance, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
10. Crane Dance, Maitland Dance for Parkinson's Class, Maitland, Australia
11.
In Graceful Flight, Queen's University Belfast, Ireland
12. Crane Duets, Dance for Health (Nijmegen),
The Netherlands
13. Crane Dance, Dancing for Parkinson's Group, Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia
14. Ballenger Crane Dance, Charlotte, North Carolina,
USA
15. Duets, Dance for Health (Arnhem),
Arnhem, The Netherlands
16. Winged Frolic Dance for PD® / Alonzo King Dance Center, San Francisco Dance Center, San Francisco, California, USA
17. Up in the Silence, PD in Motion, Sarasota, Florida, USA
18. Soaring with Hope, Dance for Parkinson’s Australia and Queensland Ballet, Queensland, Australia
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The I AM DANCE Project (Clara Kluge, 2023)
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 This project aligned with the two existing cultural initiatives for the Congress: an original poetry contest titled "I AM," and the Tulip Project featuring photos of individuals and groups holding tulips or facsimiles. The "I AM DANCE" project integrated these themes through the art of choreography, emphasizing the therapeutic benefits of movement for people with Parkinson's. It showcased the dynamic impact of dance on well-being and offered viewers a profound insight into its value for those living with Parkinson's.
This dance project united dance artists worldwide to share their creative movement pieces, culminating in a compilation video premiered at the 6th World Parkinson Congress in Barcelona, July 4-7, 2023. More than 800 dance and music artists from over 90 dance groups in 15 countries contributed to this 4-hour film.
1. Freedom, Dancing with Parkinson's Canada, Ontario, Canada
2. Blossoming Through Dance, Empowerment Dance, Wisconsin, USA
3. Flowermarket, Kadans (Arnhem), Gelderland, The Netherlands
4. DaPoPa, DaPoPa, Paris, France
5. Lale' – Tulip, Katharine Le Roux Dance for Parkinson's, East Sussex, England
6. We Go Together, Balettakademien, Stockholm, Sweden
7. Tulpen Dans, DansPark Leiden, Noord Holland, The Netherlands
8. Spring Fling, Dance Base, Scotland
9. Tulip, Park On, Poland
10. I GOT YOU!, Parkinson Wellness Program, New York, USA
11. Beautiful Bouquet of Variety, Beweeg en Dans PD, MS,Reuma, Dementia, Overijssel, The Netherlands
12. Re/Framing Our Stories, Dance for Parkinson's Australia, Queensland, Australia
13. I AM DANCE, Hrishikesh's Centre Of Contemporary Dance, Pune, India
14. Tempted By Luminous, Manizia Kajiwara Dance for PD Japan-Perfect Dance, Fukuoka, Japan
15. Petals of Hope and Joy, Enjoy Dancing! Maastricht, Limburg, The Netherland
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 Film brings us much closer to the lived experience of PD. It’s an invaluable tool that helps communicate to anyone who doesn’t know the disease all its peculiar and challenging manifestations. It can also allow us to witness the spiritual perseverance of those who cope with this condition on a daily basis. Their tenacity is inspiring. In this section, we’ll showcase examples of dance films that premiered or screened at the WPC.
Capturing Grace, by filmmaker Dave Iverson, officially premiered in 2014 - but lucky WPC attendees in Montreal had a chance to see it first. This award-winning film features a group of Brooklynites with Parkinson’s as they prepare for their first public performance through the Mark Morris Dance Group’s Dance for PD program. In honor of the film’s 10th Anniversary, we are pleased to make this film available through September.
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Opening Ceremony Performance
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 In 2006, at the Opening Ceremony of the 1st World Parkinson Congress, we welcomed Melanie Maar, from Vienna, Austria, to the stage for an interpretive dance inspired by Restrictions, titled “Off and On”. Melanie had grown up with her father who was living with Parkinson’s, and it was his movement, and lack of movement, that inspired her dance and moved the audience.
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 Beginning in 2019 as a proposal from PwP and choreographer Pamela Quinn, the group opening ceremony dances symbolize the spirit of connection and empowerment the WPC creates for people with Parkinson’s. The dance involves PwPs from across the world learning the dance in their homes through an online, video tutorial, coming together for several rehearsals the day before the Congress.
Even though many people cannot speak the same language, they can all move in perfect unison with one another. The theme of each dance pays homage to the culture of the Congress’s host country, and features up to 50 participants. The dances include roles for PwP of all ability levels, in addition to welcoming care partners and medical professionals to participate.
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 This month, we’re featuring Ooh, Aah by Pam Quinn, which premiered in Kyoto.
Ooh, Aah (2019)
Set to the pounding rhythm of Taiko drums, “Ooh, Aah!” drew on the Japanese myth of Amaterasu to showcase the power of rhythm and community. The dance featured 40 people with Parkinson’s and 10 care givers from three different continents and seven countries. Today, the participants still stay in touch via Facebook, using the platform to translate and send messages back and forth.
Choreography by Pam Quinn
Music: KODO, Lion
Photo Reel:
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhDcmk65DV8
A Testimonial
“When I arrived in Kyoto, I was not confident I could do the dance. But once I felt the energy of the other people around me, I began to believe in my body. It made me excited to move, instead of scared.” – Mie Maruyama, Dancer |
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The Science of Dance: Presentations/Roundtables/Posters
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 Dance’s therapeutic benefits, and the art form’s evidenced impact on motor and non-motor symptoms and challenges, have been well documented in the scientific literature thanks to the efforts of hundreds of researchers around the world. The WPC has been at the forefront of sharing dance-related research findings and outcomes with the scientific and Parkinson’s communities. In this section, we’ll highlight posters and presentations from past Congresses that underpin the efficacy of dance as an effective intervention for Parkinson’s. |
 Dance is magical. Using and focusing the body like an instrument—the paintbrush of an artist or the horn of the jazz musician—creates an intense integrative force. Research has shown the beneficent effect of movement and dance on the brain. Neuroimaging has identified regions of the brain that are similarly active when performing actions or watching others perform the same action, both of which we do in dance class. Just as dance is good for the brain, it is good for the body. One of the pleasures of the dance class for me is learning basic moves such as ballet pliés and relevés and the finger-snapping jazz steps of West Side Story. Sustained repetitive dance movements strengthen muscles and keep the body supple, which is of particular importance for people who suffer the relentless contractions that characterize Parkinson’s. It is extremely important to commit to movements as fully as possible. Every dance step or movement has an extended ideal form. One must be able to envision that form, in order to embody it, which means doing the movement completely, to the utmost. That effort completes a mind-body circuit that strengthens the physicality of the body while preserving the brain. - Joy Esterberg, Dance for PD participant |
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