Last chance to apply! Application process closes soon.

Join us for a Dance for PD®
Introductory Training Workshop

for dancers, dance teachers, students, therapists, and allied health professionals
Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, 2024

Houston Ballet's Margaret Alkek Williams Center for Dance, Houston TX

presented by Mark Morris Dance Group, in partnership with Houston Ballet and Houston Area Parkinson Society

Workshop highlights
 

Get training in an acclaimed global program that helps people with Parkinson's experience the joys and benefits of dance.

► Learn best practices and evidence-based methods from expert Dance for PD teaching artists.
► Hone your teaching skills.
► Deepen your knowledge with our specially-created modules and acclaimed interactive sessions.
► Become part of a global network of passionate instructors in 30 countries.
► Participate in an actual Dance for Parkinson's community class with members of the Houston area Parkinson's community.

"A dynamic workshop and a fabulous life experience. I could not have been more pleased with time well spent.”—Dance for PD workshop trainee

"Dance for PD® is a hands-down success. It’s one of the most important programs for Parkinson’s disease in the country."—Mary Ellen Thibodeau, RN
RI Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association

We invite you to apply via the button below.

About Dance for PD® workshops

About Dance for PD® workshops and seminars

Since 2007, more than 2,000 people from 30 countries have participated in Dance for PD® (Parkinson's Disease) workshops and seminars, designed and produced by the Mark Morris Dance Group.

Our educational programs are designed to enrich, inform and inspire a diverse group of individuals who want to learn about the unique approach of this internationally acclaimed community arts & health program from its original creators. To learn more about our complete four-step training program, including the pre-requisite online course, please click here.

This workshop

This workshop is designed primarily to help dance teaching artists adapt your expertise to work effectively and comfortably with the Parkinson’s population under the guidelines and methodology of the Dance for PD® program. You'll cover special modules that focus on class structure, pedagogy and exercise design, and participate in a practicum class to develop class content and teaching techniques with founding teachers and other trainees, in addition to covering general modules about safety and working with Parkinson’s participants.

Although this workshop is specifically geared toward dance teachers, we welcome a diverse group of individuals—Physical and Occupational Therapists, movement educators and fitness instructors—who may be interested in the workshop for Educational & Professional Enrichment (EPE). The EPE program is designed to provide a comprehensive and intimate look at core components of the Dance for PD® program so that a wide variety of individuals without dance training or dance teaching experience can learn about our methods and benefit from our resources.

Our introductory workshops are non-certifying. Attendance at one of our introductory workshops is a prerequisite to qualify for our Dance Teacher certification program or Registered Teaching Assistant program. You will be required to complete an introductory online course in order to attend this in-person workshop.

Prerequisites

All trainees must satisfactorily complete an asynchronous 8-module online training program before attending the live synchronous online workshop. The cost of this 8-module course is $145 for non-members, $132 for members. It is expected that the self-directed course will take 8-10 hours to complete. You'll receive a link to this course when we approve your training application.

Workshop details

Facilitators:
Maria Portman Kelly, Dance for PD Programs and Engagement Manager

Sarah Marcus, Certified Dance for PD teaching artist and Dance for PD-approved trainer

Schedule: Saturday, October 26 from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 27 from 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Location:
Margaret Alkek Williams Center for Dance, 601 Preston Street, Houston, TX 77002

Highlights: Comprehensive training modules, interactive teaching practicum, demo class, safety best practices, networking.

Credits: Earn up to 30 training credits toward the 50 credits required to be eligible for Dance for PD certification.

Accommodations: Please click here for a map of local accommodations.

Tuition

Standard rate: $325
Dance for PD Member rate: $305

Texas residents: $150

Tuition includes a one-year Dance for PD® program membership with special access to continuing education materials and tools (a $120 value), complimentary lifetime access to five volumes of instructional media (Video on Demand), free downloads of Dance for PD music albums, and access to our international online teachers' forum. Financial aid is available to qualified teaching artists from the DC area.

Note about online course
Please note that workshop tuition does not include the pre-requisite online course, which must be completed before the workshop. The self-directed, interactive online course takes around 8-10 hours and can be done over several weeks. You'll receive details about the online course when you apply for this workshop.

No payment is required to apply. Please click below to complete our application. We will notify you upon acceptance into the training program. At that point, we will let you know about accessing the online course and provide more information about workshop registration.

I'm interested. Now what?

1. Complete the application linked below to pre-register and hold a place.
2. Upon acceptance, complete the required online course (approximately 8-10 hours).
3. Complete final registration and payment for the October workshop.
4. After the workshop, complete the online assessment and earn an Ofqual-accredited qualification.

Enrollment is limited to ensure an optimal learning environment for
participants. Workshop places are available on a first preregistered first reserved basis.

Apply for the workshop

Please note: if you have already submitted a training application, please send an email to admin@danceforpd.org to pre-register for this workshop. You do not need to submit a second application.

Workshop Reviews

"Extremely well coordinated, very respectful and appropriate content for a broad range of learners!"
—Workshop attendee

"This workshop was completely satisfying, both on personal and professional levels. I thoroughly enjoyed each day's activities and the way in which [the trainer] conducted the discussions and experientials. His teaching ability is outstanding, along with his understanding of group process...I feel uplifted and inspired by all I witnessed..."
—Trainee

"My staff reported to me that this was the only training they had ever received in movement/exercise other than cursory information during nursing assistant or nursing training. They were so excited to start using the tools immediately and have other staff to partner with for spontaneous play with each other and the residents."
—Workshop attendee and assisted living facility senior manager

"I learned more than I could have ever imagined and I love to dance more than I ever imagined. I have already utilized some of your ideas into my treatment approaches with my patients and they have worked GREAT!"—Participant and doctor of physical therapy

About Dance for PD®

The Mark Morris Dance Group's Dance for PD® program invites people with Parkinson's and their families in more than 400 communities and 30 countries around the globe to experience the joys and benefits of dance while creatively addressing symptom-specific concerns related to balance, cognition, motor skill, depression and physical confidence. Through its innovative, internationally-replicated classes, acclaimed teacher training program, and high quality media resources, Dance for PD​'s fundamental working principle since 2001 is that professionally-trained dancers are movement experts whose knowledge about balance, sequencing, rhythm and aesthetic awareness is useful to persons with PD. In class, teaching artists integrate movement from modern, ballet, tap, folk and social dancing, and choreographic repertory to engage participants' minds and bodies and create an enjoyable, social environment for artistic exploration.​​ Dance for PD has been featured in The New York Times, USA Today, Dance Magazine, The Guardian and hundreds of other publications,​and has been honored by several local, national and international awards, including the Parkinson Awareness Award, Alan Bonander Humanitarian Award, and the Sapolin Public Service Award from the New York City Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities. Peer-reviewed research from 50 published studies suggests that the Dance for PD approach provides a range of benefits, including improved walking and short-term mobility, enhanced quality of life, and self-efficacy, slowing of symptom progression, and improvements in mood and social inclusion among people with Parkinson's. More at www.danceforpd.org.

About Houston Ballet
 

Houston Ballet, with over 50 years of history, has grown into the fourth-largest ballet company in the U.S. Its $46.6 million state-of-the-art performance space, the Houston Ballet Margaret Alkek Williams Center for Dance, opened in April 2011. Globally recognized, the company has toured in cities such as Dubai, London, Paris, and Tokyo. Under the leadership of Australian choreographer Stanton Welch AM since 2003, Houston Ballet has flourished creatively, with Welch choreographing 43 new works and expanding the repertoire with masterpieces from renowned choreographers. Welch has also commissioned over 30 works from world-renowned choreographers like Aszure Barton and Justin Peck. Joining him in 2023, Julie Kent became Co-Artistic Director, bringing her extensive experience from American Ballet Theatre and The Washington Ballet. Executive Director James Nelson, who has been with the company since 2012, oversees the organization's administration. Houston Ballet is also dedicated to nurturing future generations through its Education and Community Engagement program, reaching over 85,000 individuals annually in the Houston area. The Houston Ballet Academy, which trains over 1,000 students each year, has produced more than 60 percent of the company's current artists.

About Houston Area Parkinson Society

Houston Area Parkinson Society (HAPS) is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease in the greater Houston area. Through a comprehensive range of free programs and services, including support groups, exercise, education, and social activities, HAPS reaches thousands of individuals each year. Established in 1974, the organization remains committed to fostering a supportive community, promoting awareness, and advocating for people with Parkinson's and their families. HAPS continues to be a vital resource, offering hope and empowerment to those affected by Parkinson’s.