Reconnect with your Body Weekly Classes

Reconnect class allows me to forgive my body for not living up to its full potential and appreciate all the incredible abilities I possess. I become lost in the music and movement, not only my movements but those free-spirited and graceful moves of my fellow dancers. Somehow I forget what brought me to this place where I am symptom free and feel like a dancer. I sense that this is definitely one of the best hours of my week, both for my body and my spirit.

This is far from a typical easy-moving class you might see at the senior center. The music was diverse and cool (The Black Keys, Florence and the Machine) and the choreography was exciting and very well done. But best of all, I loved seeing the change in energy and excitement. At first, many of the participants moved slowly. By the end, one woman said she was feeling so good she skipped out of class. And you know what? Parkinson's or not, I felt like skipping out, too.

What struck me most when I first started dancing, was how it focused on what I could do - or doing things I never thought of doing - as opposed to all the things I've lost, can't do or am losing... And then I discovered dance was also a new way to creatively express myself as a performer. I could “say” things to an audience as a dancer that I could not as a poet and actor. Dance is full of surprises!

My unrelenting dance partner, PD, has interrupted my rhythm and grace. So I seek the freedom of the dance without PD leading, without PD following. I actually feel graceful here. I can move here. I can dance in circles, not squares. I can move with curves and arcs, not heaves and listings. I sometimes wobble, quiver or tremble. But here no one notices, I’m sure of it. My words: Flowing. Smooth. Gliding. Graceful. Confident. Unguarded.

Before (Reconnect), I referred to my dancing as ‘pathetic.’ Reconnect has given me a new perspective. I now view my dyskinetic movements as creative expressions of the inner self. Dance class is like getting out of jail for an hour and a half.
It’s freedom, and it’s sweet for those of us with or without PD. Thank you for caring about us and transforming us.

Dancing with the Reconnect community and performing with Art as Action (from my wheelchair) brings joy and light to my previous dancer-body: It nourishes and sustains my identity, gives my body and spirit hope, and is just so darn fun!