Ballet is a dance I relish from head to toe. A dance that allows my body to feel free from any ailments or challenges that Parkinson’s may bring. For a while now, I have been practicing ballet at the Boca Ballet Theater through their BBT4PD program under the guidance of the kind and artistically brilliant Cindy Surman, the only instructor in Florida certified by Dance for PD.
Ballet, a practice I shunned at first, I now eagerly look forward to as the vehicle to help my balance and walking while tapping into my creative energy. As I have said before, “Parkinson’s is the gift that keeps on taking, one little bit at a time,” and with this gift, I am only championed to thrive forward with hope and inspiration. While I may never hold Misty Copeland’s talent, I take in gratitude what Dance for PD offers the neurological community.
What I love and admire about this practice are the large ballet movements that integrate various dance forms specifically curated for those with PD, encouraging our bodies to find balance, flexibility, and coordination. At times, I have found solace in ballet as the practice procures a social element that limits any loneliness I may have at times. Through ballet, the magic of movement becomes my new voice and apparatus.
What I enjoy about ballet is that it can be completed sitting in a chair, standing with a chair or walker, or holding a ballet barre. The practice stimulates the body and mind, enhancing mobility and muscle memory, which is essential! Most of all, the class establishes community and connectedness, something everyone prospers bit by bit.
Having PD has been the cornerstone in establishing what resources help me thrive, and with a team of caring hearts at the Boca Ballet, my determination to dance is possible. I humbly encourage those with PD or other neurological disorders to join me at the ballet studio on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 1 pm.
For more information, please visit www.bocaballet.org or 516-995-0709
Rabbi Merle E. Singer | Words with Merle 