Music and dance

Living with Parkinson's Daily life
1
:grin::sunglasses:
A strange tail this. I have never ever in my life ever, Danced ,oh I have tapped
out the beat of music I like, but no dancing. My wife loves dancing and goes to
line dancing classes and tries to encourage me to go by saying things like "I was
dancing with the son of a old school friend and he was chatting me up",it doesn't
work,anyway I have been thinking of trying to learn, the reason is this.
I was 80% shutdown this afternoon along with the accompanying black depression
I was feeling very low,and I found a Neil Diamond cd and decided to play it.
The effect was startling, I AM I SAID, CRACKLING ROSIE , DAYDREAM BELEIVER all my
best loved songs on a Greatest Hits compilation, my mood changed in a instant, I was singing along and more, I was dancing,no self consciousness no embarrassment
when my wife came in she couldn't believe her eyes, yes folks the guy who never
had the bottle to get up and dance was,,well,,Dancing and singing at the top of my voice, the way I used to until PD wrecked my vocal chords, and I felt great,
has anyone else experienced this weird transformation,and could it be a beneficial
side effect of parky,I really enjoyed it and have agreed to go line dancing when classes start again, Weird Weird! Regards to all Fed:grin:
2
As you can see from my name I am into dancing and my husband who is PwP ( 11 years since tremor started badly)has the name Forum name of Morrisman. All the time in this house traditional English Folk Music is playing and PwP still dances both Morris and Country Dancing He also calls the dances at Barn dances and people who do not know him say the Parkinson's disappears when he is up there calling,band behind him. The other night at Cheltenham Folk Festival on several occasions listening to music I held his hand: not a twitch of a tremor. Music and dance are a wonderful thing. When you listen to dancing music I am convinced the brain dances even if the body does not. So it does one the world of good. I wish you many years of dancing whether in the brain or physically.
3
:grin:
Hello English Country Dancer, Your post almost made me weep with joy, just the
knowledge that what happened to me yesterday actually works and was not a fluke
made me so happy. I tried it again today with the same result, I was shutting
down fast and if I don't arrest the process it takes a long uphill battle to
normalize my metabolism ,so on went Jonny Cash, I also took two soluble madopar
and I quickly recovered, I don't know if this is temporary, obviously its not a
cure,but certainly is a enjoyable kickback at BLACKHEART, (my name for PD )Its
not the only name PD is called, but the only one I can print here.
Kindest Regards Fedex:sunglasses:
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Hi Fed, You know I felt so happy for you when I read your post about dancing. If I am feeling immobile,I put some music on and it's like a miracle immediately, I am on my feet dancing. It may not be what other people call dancing, but it certainly gets rid of the blues! Your wife is lucky, I have always wanted to go line dancing, but there doesn't seem to be anywhere around here where you can learn line dancing. Well done Fed, maybe we could start a new trend, people with PD finding dancing helps cure the blues! Love Blue angel x
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:grin:
Hello Blue Angel.
I was so pleased to see that you can also escape BLACKY using Music and Dance,I
wonder if it has ever been used as therapy,it certainly works for us, I will suggest to my Consultant and see if it flies . I go into Hospital on the 5th of
March for preliminary tests prior to the Duodopa op if I pass the PARKY MOT I will
then have the operation and it cant come a moment too soon as the shutdowns are
becoming very seriously disabling (Despite the Music) and a visit from a very kind
Lady and her Husband last week helped me a lot by dispelling my fears, she had the
Duodopa operation two years ago and said it was like a miracle the Improvement in
her lifestyle, so fingers crossed.
Kindest Regards Fed :grin:
6
Hello fedex and all
Great to hear of your dancing success. Dance and Parkinson’s is now being studied in detail. For the latest on the research and the groups that hold specific sessions for pwp, go to http://www.communitydance.org.uk/dance-health-and-wellbeing/parkinsons-disease.html
Best wishes
S
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If you google Parkins and Dance a load of stuff will come up. At Mount Sinai Hospital New York theres a female neuroscientist who is doing a lot of work and I saw a video showing how music improved the gait of patients. Unfortunately I cannot track it down. Last time I heard the Tango had the best results. Tripping the light fantastic may take on a whole new meaning. But seriously the effects of dancing or even music by itself are amazing. There was a TV programme about a world famous female jazz musician - plays a wind instrument - who is quite far advanced in PD but still plays all over the world. If I come across where I have hidden these videos I'll post them.

So pleased you have found this.
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So glad that music helps.It is so lucky that my husbands passion and all absorbing hobby is traditional music and dance. A LONG time ago,long before Parkinson's struck, I used to get rather fed up with him keep playing his melodeon,now I rejoice when I hear it.Long may you enjoy music and it giving you some respite. I just love the idea of the brain dancing even when the body finds it difficult.