Dance has been a part of human culture for millennia, and modern research is now increasingly suggesting that it is a deeply effective intervention for physical, cognitive, and emotional health. A study that followed older adults in a dance program for more than a year reported increases in gray matter volume and synaptic density in regions important for memory and executive function.
The Benefits of Dance
Dance improves cardiovascular fitness, strength, and coordination. It also activates a wide network of brain areas, including auditory pathways, visual and motor cortex, the amygdala, and the somatosensory cortex. This can lead to improved balance, more confidence walking, and a renewed sense of self.
David Leventhal, who danced for 13 years with the Mark Morris Dance Group, has spent the last quarter century leading a different kind of choreography: Dance for PD, a program for people living with Parkinson’s disease. The program has been shown to improve balance, gait speed, and reduce falls in people with Parkinson’s.
Leventhal points out that dance is a full-spectrum activity that engages the body, cognition, emotion, and social connection – all supported by music. The combination of music, social interaction, and movement is highly motivating, and people are welcome at all stages of Parkinson’s.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
