David Leventhal - Think Like a Dancer

Описание: Move4Parkinson’s and the US-based Davis Phinney Foundation hosted the International Parkinson’s Empowerment Summit on Friday, 3rd October 2014 at Citywest Hotel and Conference Centre in Dublin. The conference was the largest of its kind in Ireland and attracted over 500 people with Parkinson’s, their family members and care partners to the event, from around Ireland and the UK, as well as national and international healthcare professionals and well-being experts.

Think Like a Dancer: Parkinson’s disease is a “Movement Disorder” and here David Leventhal explains why professionally-trained dancers are well placed to help People with Parkinson’s improve their physical and emotional well-being. Professionally-trained dancers are movement experts, they know all about stretching and strengthening muscles, and about balance and rhythm. Dancers know about the power of dance to concentrate mind, body and emotion on movement because they use their thoughts, imagination, eyes, ears and touch to control their bodies every day.

Please note, before signing up for any kind of physical activity it is important to get advice from your medical team. It is also imperative that you check the teacher has experience and training to work with people with PD.

To Download a PDF of the presentation slides, or to see other talks from IPES 2014 visit our webpage: http://www.move4parkinsons.com/summit/

About the Speaker: David Leventhal is a founding teacher and Programme Director for Dance for PD®, a collaborative programme of the Mark Morris Dance Group and Brooklyn Parkinson Group that has now been used as a model for classes in more than 100 communities in 11 countries. He leads classes for people with Parkinson’s Disease around the world and trains other teachers in the Dance for PD approach. Since 2007, he has trained more than 400 teachers in 25 cities around the world.

Along with Olie Westheimer, he is the co-recipient of the 2013 Alan Bonander Humanitarian Award from the Parkinson's Unity Walk.