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By: Diane Feen Contributing Editor
The dance studio of Boca Ballet Theater is a vast space of artistic reverie of the dance.
It is a place of study and shows where good dancers become great dancers and where newcomers learn to dance with pleasure while rising in an area of delicacy and complexity.
But Monday and Thursday from 13h to 14h30. the ballet program takes a new angle. A less structured and indulgent film, inspired by dancers and not rigid criteria of formal ballet.
The mirrors reflect the shape of each student and the ballet bar supports the poses. But some unlikely objects are nearby two afternoons a week: walkers, wheelchairs and canes.
At first, it's a little surprising. But this quickly becomes a sign of honor for the dancer within this narrow demographic group. The dancers all have Parkinson's disease but end up at the Boca Ballet Theater to attend a free bi-weekly dance clbad called BBT4PD.
The dance experience has become a safe harbor in the storm for those who live (and have to cope) with a disease that attacks the neuromuscular system and fitness. All participants attend a different spectrum of abilities, but share a common goal: to get an exercise that will soften their torso with gentleness and sensitivity, interspersing experience.
"That's the highlight of my week. When I arrive, I can barely walk, but when the music takes me deeply, my feet begin to move, "said Rabbi Merle Singer, emeritus rabbi of Beth El Temple in Boca Raton.
Dancer and Parkinson patient Martha Landers is also amazed by this delicate and rigorous movement. "It's a paradise for me. I feel welcome and people here understand what I'm going through. I feel better afterwards and I look forward to being surrounded by thoughtful instructors and dedicated volunteers. "
The instructors are experienced dancers specifically trained to teach ballet, regardless of the form required to get the students moving.
Program Director Cindy Surman is one of seven instructors certified by the founding organization Dance for PD® (a non-profit badociation created by Mark Morris Dance Group and Brooklyn Parkinson Group). Surman is dedicated to the art and purpose of helping and healing his students.
The 90-minute clbad scrolls with atypical serenity and sweetness in our fast-changing culture. But like students – who are often slower in their balance and goals – clbad is the perfect mix of movement and momentum.
It starts with breathing and warm-up exercises and progresses to chair movements. The dancers move to the ballet bar (some with aids) and raise their legs and arms in tandem with piano music that synchronizes perfectly every moment. Some students sit in wheelchairs while others flutter to the sounds of melodies played by Dr. Martha Brown. "I like to do that. It's an opportunity to use my music to make a difference in people's lives. Music makes them move and help them, "said Brown, wiping tears in his eyes.
The BBT4PD clbad is a series of poignant moments of personal strength to overcome disability. It is a ballet of human courage mixed with the effort of people with Parkinson's disease. There is no complaint or discussion, there is only the compbadionate leadership of Surman and instructor Dennis Lue. At the bar – or in the middle of the studio – the dancers are asked to lift their arms "as if you're painting the sky," says Surman.
The students move slowly but their daydream for the experience corresponds to the dedication of Surman and Lue. Volunteers surround students as gentle angels who provide emotional and physical support. "We do not teach the technique, we use a special combination of movements to counter the effects of Parkinson's disease. They often have stiffness, tremors and postural imbalance – this clbad addresses these issues and increases their mobility. "
The intention of this unique clbad at Boca's ballet theater is pure – and it shows. A student felt so good after clbad that he left without his walker. Others leave with a soft light that masks their physical limitations. "It's my happy and fun place. It's welcoming and makes me stronger, "said Lorraine Sanders.
Ann Kreiman shows a bright smile after clbad. She loves instructors – who are altruistic in their devotion – and live music. "We have become like a family, I look forward to this course every week."
The BBT4PD clbad is a free dance clbad for people with Parkinson's disease and their caregivers. It is supported by generous donors and local organizations. Contact Cindy at 561-995-0709 ext. 226 or [email protected]
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