When the music starts, something changes in the room. Bodies straighten up, steps become more confident and faces soften. For many people with Parkinson’s, movement is associated with uncertainty. But here, in Sports Hall 2 at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg at 32 Zschokkestraße, that uncertainty seems to disappear for a moment. Since spring, the university has been running an internationally developed dance and music programme that stimulates the brain in a variety of multisensory ways and encourages participants to compensate for motor difficulties. Following the completion of the first study cohort in September, the results are exceptionally positive: all participants found the dance training to be very enriching and reported noticeable improvements in their daily lives, both physically and mentally.
The eighteen-week dance programme combines set choreographies with guided improvisation sessions, thereby creating a unique space in which movement, creativity and joie de vivre once again become second nature. Many participants described how dance had helped them reconnect with their bodies and discover previously unknown ways of expressing themselves.
The results of the first phase of the study paint a clear picture: participants reported visible improvements in movement patterns, greater stability, increased activity in daily life and something that is difficult to measure: a newfound sense of confidence.
The programme’s success likely lies in its holistic nature. Physical activity is inextricably linked to creativity, emotional resilience and social integration. For many participants, this creates a space where they are not defined by their illness, but by their physical and mental fitness. Sharing personal experiences, practising together and the music were found to be particularly beneficial and uplifting. Alongside visible improvements in movement patterns and balance, the focus was above all on joy, courage and a sense of connection. A look at the test results reveals a clear effect, particularly in an exercise relevant to everyday life: standing up from a chair. After just 18 weeks, the programme participants made impressive progress: the time they took to stand up and sit down five times without using their hands for support was reduced by an average of four seconds. This is a clear indication that both leg strength and stability when transitioning between sitting and standing have noticeably improved. A clear effect was also evident in walking: over a 10-metre distance, participants increased their walking speed by around ten per cent. These improvements highlight just how much regular physical and mental training, combined with music, can enhance quality of life. This is also confirmed by a look at mental well-being. Measured using the internationally recognised WHO-5 questionnaire, this increased by around 22 per cent over the course of the dance programme. Such a figure indicates significantly more energy and zest for life and is scientifically regarded as an indication of improved mental health.
Many participants therefore wish to continue and have decided to take part in a Parkinson’s dance programme run by the University Sports Club in order to consolidate and maintain their newly acquired movement skills in the long term.
Furthermore, further studies are planned for the start of the year and registration is now open. Anyone wishing to take part in an 18-week dance training programme twice a week (always on Wednesdays and Fridays) is very welcome. Relatives and carers are also warmly invited. Those interested can contact Ulrike Groß directly and become part of this growing project.
