On Saturday 29 April 2017 Queensland Ballet joined with 12 other internationally acclaimed dance companies to showcase our renowned Dance for Parkinson’s program on a free online portal created especially to celebrate the global World Dance for Parkinson’s Day.

World Dance for Parkinson’s Day combines two poignant occasions, Parkinson’s Awareness Month (April) and International Dance Day (29 April).

Alongside English National Ballet (UK), Houston Ballet (USA), Dutch National Ballet, Mark Morris Dance Group (USA) Skanes Dansteater (Sweden), and others, Queensland Ballet’s electronic contribution to the global celebration reflects on the combined journey of participant and carer; the partnership with Dance for Parkinson’s Australia; and the role former Principal Dancer Matthew Lawrence now holds in connecting people and dance.

 “We are shining a light on the power of the arts to lift and inspire people. At Queensland Ballet we believe in the power of dance to transform and enrich lives – our Dance for Parkinson’s program is clear evidence of this.”

-       Li Cunxin, Queensland Ballet Artistic Director

Queensland Ballet, partnership with Dance for Parkinson’s Australia has been a leader of the Dance for Parkinson’s movement in Australia. Beginning the journey in 2013 with a pilot program and research study in partnership with Dance for Parkinson’s Australia, Queensland University of Technology and University of Queensland and is extremely proud of all the hard work and research that has gone into making this a world class program.

The pilot program and research outcomes continue to inform and support the ongoing delivery of the weekly Dance for Parkinson’s classes, held at Queensland Ballet all year round.

“The classes themselves are full of laughter and jokes and you look at the variety of people in the room and you find out their backgrounds and what they have done with their lives. It’s awe inspiring, it really is”.

-        Peter Wall Dance for Parkinson’s participant.