October 10, 2016
Dancing the tango is helping people with Parkinson's find relief from the disease and giving them a sense of freedom.
Melbourne-based teacher Rina Sawaya started giving lessons to people with Parkinson's after her father was diagnosed with the disease.
"I didn't know much about Parkinson's and when I looked it up, to my great surprise I found that there was research that thought that tango was beneficial to people with Parkinson's," she said.
"Many participants say that they feel much safer, more stable and more balanced.
"You have that connection with another human being and the joy of being able to connect and work together with another human being."
Mei Cheah was diagnosed with Parkinson's more than two years ago and said she initially thought tango was "too sexy" for her, but instead she had found it helpful.
Ms Cheah and her husband are even planning on showing off their new skills in public.
"Whenever there's a wedding we will sit it out. This time we're going to show it off, next time we go to the next wedding," she said.
"The other day when we were at the hospital, when there was a long corridor with no one around, he just spontaneously picked me up and said let's do the tango and we started to do our steps along the corridor."
For Joan Sharman, tango offers an escape from Parkinson's disease.
"I don't like it to define who I am. I've got to deal with it all the time," she said.
"When you're dancing I think you got to a different place. That sense of freedom is the best way I can describe it."
Dancing the tango could help if you suffer from Parkinson’s disease. Lateline speaks to tango students with Parkinson’s who say the Argentine dance form has helped them find relief and give them a sense of freedom. Read more here: http://ab.co/2dFak1a
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-10/people-with-parkinson's-finding-relief-through-tango/7918428
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