Cathy Moore

The first week of my retirement in April 2019, I joined Dancing with Parkinson’s which was already in progress. I had participated in NC Dance for Parkinson’s’ and Pilates for Parkinson’s through the Parkinson’s Movement Initiative when my work schedule allowed.  After one class, I knew that this was something totally unique.

I was already responding to my PD with an integrative health, non-pharmacological approach. Since there really is no treatment for PD, I decided to forego medication as it just seems to be swapping symptoms in the present for side effects in the future. I was aware of the concept of neuroplasticity and chose to concentrate directly on my symptoms and the brain itself.  I had sessions with a hypnotherapist to make direct suggestions to my brain as to how to walk and how to heal; I walked with conscious intention; I took Poised for Parkinson’s, an Alexander Technique approach to PD with Glenna Batson who it turned out is part of the Dancing with Parkinson’s working group: and took Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction for people with PD. 

Figuring out ways to adjust to or compensate for changes in my body – from the PD, from back problems and from aging – has become my area of creativity. This class is a guide to that for me and provides suggestions and opportunities that I might not have thought of. I am more purposeful and engaged in each activity that I do when I am in class. Going to class puts structure in my day and provides a community of like-minded people. In class, we learned to use imaging before moving.  We practiced walking by breaking down its component parts as I do when I walk with conscious intention and reinforce by listening to my hypnotherapy recording.  It also builds upon prior breath work and body explorations that I have done. The Pilates’ class has given me the physical strength to have the courage to move in new or challenging ways within this class. The whole premise of improvisation allows for/encourages individual creativity. This class has fit well with my goals.

My work career emphasized my Type A personality and required fast paced, high energy decision-making.  Having PD made my job increasingly difficult as my major symptoms are bradykinesia, shuffling gait, rigidity and fatigue.  I had planned that upon retirement, I would be a writer.  After performing in They Are All, I was transformed and knew that instead I would be a dancer and when I am a dancer, I am not a patient.

Over the years, I had been to performances at ADF.  One memorable performance was Siddhartha by Great Cloud Theater.  One dancer’s entire role was standing perfectly still while rice was poured on his head.  He was dressed as a Buddhist monk and seemed like a fountain.  I was fascinated.

In our performance, Annie slowly crawled upstage along the floor.  Again, I was fascinated by this nontraditional movement in dance.  I witnessed the control – conscious intention - it took to move slowly. Bradykinesia, slow movement, is a symptom of PD – therefore a negative.  Annie’s performance and my new-found ability to understand it, has allowed me to embrace my slowness and not resist it – to find the beauty in slowness.

This has all been so exciting that I seek out other opportunities to do improvisational dance.  Glenna has a Human Origami dance project that focuses on the fold as the movement and somatic experience.  In one class, I was moved to explore slowness by doing a forward fold.  I released into the fold very slowly with each breath that I took in time with the music and after about 20 minutes was able to touch the floor without bending my knees.  It was the first time, in about 10 years, that I could do a complete forward fold. My body was not rigid. Time was not important.

Being able to embrace slowness means that I do not see myself as damaged, as needing to be fixed. This in turn helps my self-esteem and quality of life.  I remain motivated to continue to move or remain still with conscious intention.