Parkinson’s disease: The patients finding joy through dance in India

A dance class in Pune city in the western Indian state of Maharashtra aims to make a difference to the lives of elderly people with Parkinson’s disease.

It was started in 2009 by Hrishikesh Pawar, a dance teacher, who says his students dance “only for joy” in these classes.

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative condition which affects how the brain communicates with muscles in the body. Symptoms include involuntary tremors, slow movement and stiff and inflexible muscles.

While there is no cure for the disease currently, studies show that exercise and physical movement can help improve balance and co-ordination.

Video by Omkar Karambelkar and Nitin Nagarkar, BBC Marathi

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