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Professional Development Series

Online | On Demand | On Your Budget

Session 9

New Directions in Research:

Understanding Dance for PD's benefits from a scientist's perspective

Guest speakers: Joseph Desouza, PhD, and Karolina Bearss, MS, PhD candidate

Facilitated by Maria Portman Kelly and David Leventhal

On Demand

About the workshop

More than 40 research studies point to the benefits of dance for people living with Parkinson's, but most of those studies have investigated the impact of dance over a period of weeks or months. Now, a just-published study analyzes data over a period of three years and shows that participation in a weekly class based on the Dance for PD methodology effectively slows both motor and non-motor Parkinson's symptoms.

In this workshop, we'll speak with Dr. Joseph DeSouza and Karolina Bearss, authors of this recent study. They'll help us understand the methods used in the study, appreciate significance of the data, and explore ways this research leads the way to future studies. What does the research say about the Dance for PD experience? Why are motor and non-motor outcomes important to a neuroscientist? What can teaching artists do to contribute to the research process? Dr. Desouza, one of the few scientists in the world to use neuroimaging to understand the impact of dance on the brain of someone with Parkinson's, will also help us understand the power of imaging technology as a research tool. The workshop will allow ample time for questions.

Join us as our guests explore the benefits of dance through the lens of science.

Access and fees

This workshop is offered On Demand.

The tuition rate for this workshop is $10 for Dance for PD Members, $15 for non-members. If you currently have financial need due to COVID-19 and are unable to afford tuition for this workshop, please click here to complete a brief fee waiver form.

Participation, through online or on-demand platforms, earns you Dance for PD training credits toward certification or recertification, just like our in-person workshops.

About our guest speakers

Joseph DeSouza is an Associate Professor of Systems Neuroscience in the Faculty of Health - Department of Psychology at York University. His specific research interests lie within the realms of eye, head, and visually guided movements, multisensory processing, motion processing pathways and how these mechanisms are modulated by attentional mechanisms. He uses a cognitive and systems neuroscience approaches using the technologies of eye movement recordings, functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and Electrophysiology. His research partnership with Canada's National Ballet School and Dancing with Parkinson's Canada, in collaboration with Dance for PD, began in 2013.

Karolina Bearss is a PhD candidate in York University's Department of Psychology - Neuroscience Diploma Program. Her research interests include visual cognition and action response, multisensory integration, and motor performance, and she has a special interest in multisensory rehabilitation for people with Parkinson's. Her thesis is entitled Behavioral and neural changes associated with dance therapy in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. She has a Master of Science in Experimental Psychology from Trent University.