The effect of dance on mental health and quality of life of people with Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and three-level meta-analysis

Active group-based performing arts interventions in Parkinson's disease: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To assess the evidence for active group-based performing arts interventions for people with Parkinson's disease (PD).

SETTING

Scholarly literature (published in English) from any country or countries (last search February 2025). This systematic review was not registered and received no funding.

DATA SOURCES

Five bibliographic databases: AMED (Ebsco), APA PsycINFO (Ovid), CINAHL (Ebsco), EMBASE (Ovid) and MEDLINE (Ovid), plus supplementary searches.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

Eligible studies used a quantitative design to assess the benefit of active group-based performing arts interventions on quality of life, functional communication, speech, motor function and cognitive status in PD. The risk of bias was assessed using the SURE, University of York Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and Newcastle-Ottawa Scale checklists. Data were synthesised using narrative synthesis and random-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 94 studies were included: 2453 people with PD (mean age 68 years, 55% male) from 18 countries. Narrative synthesis supported nine combinations of performing arts modalities and outcome domains, including a benefit for dance on motor function (supported by 50 out of 54 studies), dance on quality of life (supported by 24 out of 37 studies) and singing on speech (supported by 17 out of 20 studies). Meta-analysis supported five combinations of performing art modalities, comparators and outcomes, including a clinically significant benefit for PD-specific dance versus usual care PDQ-39, MD -7.81, 95% CI -11.87 to -3.75 and tango-based dance versus usual care on UPDRS-III, MD -9.89, 95% CI -16.65 to -3.13.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence from both the narrative synthesis and the meta-analysis supports a benefit for some combinations of performing arts modalities and outcomes. Limitations of the evidence base included differences in comparators and outcomes, heterogeneity, lack of control arms and male underrepresentation. Future studies should compare the effectiveness of different performing arts modalities, assess functional communication and consider clinical significance.

"You need to know that you are not alone": the sustainability of community-based dance programs for people living with Parkinson's disease

PURPOSE

To identify factors contributing to the long-term sustainability of community-based dance programs for people living with Parkinson's disease in order to inform the design and development of sustainable programs.

METHODS

Multi-site ethnographic fieldwork was conducted at four different preexisting dance programs for people living with Parkinson's disease. Dancer, facilitator, and community stakeholder perspectives were gathered via semi-structured interviews in order to create a deeper understanding of how existing programs navigate challenges and maintain stability. Transcripts and field notes were analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Interviews were conducted with 18 participants (eight dancers with Parkinson's disease, seven dance facilitators, one classroom assistant, and two community stakeholders). Four key areas for supporting program sustainability were identified: (1) finding an organizational structure that works, (2) balancing funding, fundraisers, and fees, (3) prioritizing dancer experience and satisfaction, and (4) recruiting and retaining committed, high-quality facilitators.

CONCLUSION

Cultivating multiple funding sources; forging strategic connections with local Parkinson's organizations and arts institutions; building a critical mass of facilitators and administrators with diverse skillsets; offering hybrid online delivery where possible; and ensuring that the dancer experience is low-pressure, varied, and enjoyable can support the long-term sustainability of dance programs for people living with Parkinson's disease.

Using theory knitting to conceptualize social phenomena in the design and evaluation of dance programs for people living with Parkinson's disease

Dance programs for people living with Parkinson's disease (PwPD) offer participants an opportunity to exercise, engage in artistic self-expression, and form new relationships. While it is understood that the social dimension of dance programs for PwPD contributes to dancer satisfaction and program sustainability, the social mechanisms instrumental to program success are under-examined. Engaging with theory from wider disciplines, or "theory knitting" can help program designers and evaluators examine the mechanisms and contextual factors that make classes socially meaningful with greater detail and specificity. This study identified and examined three theoretical frameworks that program planners and evaluators could use to conceptualize social engagement in dance for PwPD contexts and inform practice. Each theory was assessed for fit using the T-CaST theory comparison and selection tool developed by Birken et al. (2018). As an example, we used anthropologist Victor Turner's (1970; 1977) theory of liminality and communitas to identify five key areas for fostering a sense of social connection in dance for PwPD contexts: (1) selecting a meaningful dance space (2) creating a joyous atmosphere (3) marking entrance into the liminal time and space with rituals (4) embodying liminality and anti-structure and (5) inverting power relations and embracing fluid roles.

Effects of Biodanza® SRT on Motor, Cognitive, and Behavioral Symptoms in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Study

Rolando Toro's Biodanza (SRT) is a therapeutic strategy that uses movement, music, and emotions to induce integrative living experiences. The present study aims to explore the efficacy of a three-month SRT intervention on motor, cognitive, and behavioral symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This study employed a randomized between-group design. Twenty-eight non-demented PD patients were enrolled in this study. Out of these, fourteen patients were assigned to the active treatment group using the Biodanza SRT system and fourteen to the untreated control group. The study group attended 2 h SRT classes once a week, completing twelve lessons in twelve weeks. All patients underwent: (i) a neurological examination to measure the severity of motor symptoms, balance, mobility, and risk of falls, and (ii) a neuropsychological battery to assess cognitive status, apathy, depressive symptomatology, and perceived quality of life (QoL), at study entry (T0) and at twelve weeks (T1, end of dance training). At T1, we observed a significant improvement in motor (i.e., severity of motor symptoms and balance) and cognitive parameters (i.e., working memory and delayed verbal memory) in all treated patients compared with the controls. Furthermore, a significant improvement in the social support dimension was found in all treated patients compared to the controls. A trend toward increased apathy was found in untreated patients at T1. The three-month Biodanza intervention significantly ameliorated the motor parameters of PD patients, with a parallel improvement in cognitive and QoL status. Hence, Biodanza intervention can, in the short term, represent a useful personalized medical intervention for the management of Parkinson's disease.