About Dance for PD® workshops

All trainees must satisfactorily complete an asynchronous 8-module online training program before attending the live in-person workshop. The cost of this 8-module course is included in the tuition. 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.

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.

The Mark Morris Dance Group's Dance for PD® program invites people with Parkinson's and their families in more than 500 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. 

Dancing with Parkinson’s Canada is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to enhancing the lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease and seniors through the joy of dance. Offering free, accessible classes both online and in person, we create welcoming spaces where participants can move, connect, and thrive regardless of age, stage, or mobility level. Rooted in the evidence-based Dance for PD® Method, our programs combine artistry with research-informed approaches to support physical mobility, balance, and coordination, while also nourishing creativity, confidence, and emotional well-being. 

Beyond the health benefits, each class fosters an inclusive, intergenerational community where participants, care partners, and support workers combat isolation together and celebrate the power of artistic expression. By bringing dance into homes, studios, and community centers across the country, Dancing with Parkinson’s Canada ensures that everyone has the opportunity to experience the transformative and life-affirming impact of movement.

Canada’s National Ballet School (NBS), located in Toronto and founded in 1959, is a world-renowned institution where professional dance training, academics, and residential care converge on a single campus. 

In addition to its elite ballet instruction, NBS is deeply committed to community outreach through its flagship initiative, Sharing Dance—a nationwide program offering free, high-quality dance resources and annual multigenerational celebrations, such as the beloved Sharing Dance Day, which began as a flash mob in 2010 and has since united Canadians coast to coast through choreography, creativity, and joy.

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