English National Ballet Celebrates 15 years of Dance for Parkinson’s

On World Parkinson’s Day, Friday 11 April, English National Ballet celebrated 15 years of its flagship Dance for Parkinson’s programme, as well as raising awareness of the condition and its impact. 

Since launching in 2010, Dance for Parkinson’s has become established as an industry leading creative health initiative and now reaches over 5,000 people each year. The programme delivers more than 250 classes annually, connecting with participants in London, major national cites and online, across its network of hubs.   

Fleur Derbyshire-Fox, English National Ballet, Engagement Director, said: “English National Ballet has been offering this artistic dance and cultural programme for 15 years and it has been a joy to witness first-hand the positive impact dance can have on participants’ well-being and quality of life. We remain committed to further collaboration with the medical community to explore the transformative power of dance in improving the lives of individuals living with Parkinson’s.” 

English National Ballet’s Dance for Parkinson’s supports people living with Parkinson’s through dance, music and socialisation, contributing to better health and well-being. Through weekly classes, participants dance to live music and creatively explore the themes, music and choreography of English National Ballet’s repertoire. As well as building communities, the evidence-based programme can benefit participants by enhancing fluidity of movement, developing strength, postural stability, flexibility and improving balance. 

The programme was recently expanded to include a Dance for Parkinson’s Performance Company, celebrating the artistic and creative voices of people with lived experience. As the UK’s only performance group of its kind, participants co-create work with leading choreographers and artists, as well as performing at English National Ballet events.  

Ian Temple, a Dance for Parkinson’s Performance Group participant, said: “There is something magical about performing in live theatre. It lifts your spirit in ways that are impossible to put into words. It seems almost paradoxical that movement can help people with a movement disorder, but last night, as we danced, we were free.” 

English National Ballet works in partnership to deliver Dance for Parkinson’s across a national network, in person and online. Hub partners include Royal Albert Hall in London, DanceEast in Ipswich, Liverpool Hope University in Liverpool, Oxford City Council and MuMo Creative in Oxford and National Dance Company Wales in Cardiff. 

Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world, affecting 153,000 people in the UK. Parkinson’s is a progressive condition in which parts of the brain become increasingly damaged over many years. The main symptoms include tremors, slow movement, sleep problems, pain, anxiety and memory loss.  

Anna Castiaux, Physical Activity Programme Lead at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Dancing enhances physical mobility and coordination, while also improving emotional well-being and sharpening cognitive functions such as memory and attention. It fosters a sense of community and joy among participants, proving itself transformative for many people. English National Ballet’s dance programmes have had such a positive impact on so many people with Parkinson’s, and it is important that we build on their incredible work so that many more can experience what dance can do for them.” 

Further information on this and English National Ballet’s other creative health initiatives can be found at ballet.org.uk/dance-health. 

Dance for Parkinson’s, Image by ASH