15-03-2025
WVU hosts inaugural dance class for people with Parkinson's Disease
MORGANTOWN, (WBOY) — WVU hosted 'Dance for PD' class on Friday, which is a dance class program for people with Parkinson's Disease put on by the Mark Morris Dance Group in New York.
People with Parkinson's Disease came to the Erickson Alumni Center from across the state to learn some Parkinson's friendly dances and were joined by WVU dance students with the College of Arts and Media.
Friday's class was the inaugural one, and the feedback from class will go toward improving the program. David Leventhal of the Mark Morris Dance Group led the class into dances of various genres, including one inspired by West Side Story in which the class was divided into 'Sharks' and 'Jets'.
Associate Vice President of Health Sciences Dr. Bill Ramsey laid out the benefits of dance to 12 News, explaining that it's a social outlet and that research shows it is a beneficial treatment for people with Parkinson's.
'If you think it's just dance, then you're missing the point. It's really exercise while having some fun. It's getting people involved in a program that hopefully we're going to take around the state of West Virginia here,' George Manahan of the Charleston Parkinson's Support Group said.
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