CB Moves for Parkinson’s Creates a Community Beyond Dance Classes

Cincinnati Ballet’s Otto M. Budig Academy presents CB Moves for Parkinson’s, a dance class designed specifically for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

“Our expert faculty use movement and music to stimulate the body and mind, providing a supportive forum for fitness, expression and community for participants of all ages,” according to the Cincinnati Ballet.

From jazz to modern dance and even ballroom dancing, there are a variety of styles of dance to choose from.

Regardless of which class you choose from, all three lead teachers, Kate Stark, Nancy Fountain and Mary Kamp, have a plethora of dance backgrounds and extensive experience teaching dance classes for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease.

“I grew up dancing professionally. My dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s when I was 10. So, dance and Parkinson’s have been kind of a true line for my life,” said Stark.

Twelve years ago, the three dance teachers started a program called Dancing with Parkinson’s due to their love for dance and passion for individuals with Parkinson’s Disease, explained Stark. 

Before finding a home at the Cincinnati Ballet, Dancing with Parkinson’s was held at various facilities, such as the Irish Heritage Center of Greater Cincinnati and the Wyoming Fine Arts Center. However, over the years, the program continued to grow and blossom.

Dancing with Parkinson’s was looking to expand, and CB Moves, a program held at the Cincinnati Ballet designed for individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities, was also looking to expand.

As a result, CB Moves for Parkinson’s was born.

Two new classes were held at Cincinnati Ballet’s Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance, while one was held at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center in 2021.

After classes started going so well, a third CB Moves for Parkinson’s class was added. In 2023, all dance classes were held at Cincinnati Ballet’s Margaret and Michael Valentine Center for Dance.

Elizabeth Grover, a student who has been with the program from the very beginning, advocated for the methodology of dance and Parkinson’s Disease to be taught in Cincinnati due to seeing the positive impact it had on other individuals.

On March 11, 1998, Grover was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease at the age of 39. Despite her diagnosis, she explained that she wanted to be a voice for others.

“My involvement with the Parkinson’s community has put me in positions of leadership that I had never anticipated. And I was sort of a behind-the-scenes kind of person,” Grover said.

Since being a part of dance classes for Parkinson’s Disease for over a decade, Grover has found community.

 “I had been completely nonathletic in my early life. It’s really different for me. I would say that both in exercising and in everyday life with Parkinson’s, I have met challenges that I have faced with some trepidation but also with some courage. I found that in myself and having a lot of friends. I never would have had the opportunity of meeting these people before,” she said.

Are you or a loved one interested in CB Moves for Parkinson’s? Classes occur three times a week. Dancers are free to invite a friend to enjoy the class together or attend solo.

If you decide to attend a class on short notice, no worries. Classes are available on a drop-in basis. Register online or sign up in person. For those signing up in person, arrive 15 minutes early to complete the necessary forms before class. For more information, click here.