Four Days Until Resilience in Motion: Meet David & Delila

We're four days away from Resilience in Motion: A Black and White Ball on Saturday, May 9th, and I wanted to share a story that captures exactly why we do this work.

Meet David and Delila.

David is 84. Delila is 83. They've been married for decades, navigating life's joys and challenges together. For the last 10 years, Parkinson's disease has been an uninvited companion in their journey — affecting Delila's movement, her confidence, and the way they experience the world as a couple.

Three Years Ago: "I Must Be Stupid"

When David and Delila first walked into an Rx Ballroom Dance class three years ago, Delila was frustrated. The dance patterns felt impossible. Her body, affected by tremor and rigidity, wouldn't cooperate the way she wanted it to. Coordination that once came naturally now required intense focus and effort.

She'd stop mid-step, look at David, and say, "I must be stupid. I just can't get this."

David would gently take her hand. "Let's try again," he'd say. And they would.

Week after week, they showed up. Some days were harder than others. Some steps felt like victories. Others felt like setbacks. But they kept dancing.

Three Years Later: Everything Has Changed

Today, Delila doesn't call herself stupid anymore.

She knows the steps. She anticipates the music. She moves with a confidence that wasn't there three years ago. Her balance has improved. Her posture is stronger. But more than the physical changes, something deeper has shifted.

"We love that we can BOTH be involved," David told me recently. "This isn't just Delila's therapy — it's something we do together."

That's what makes Rx Ballroom Dance different. We don't just serve individuals with Parkinson's or Alzheimer's — we welcome care partners, spouses, family members. Because neurological diseases don't just affect one person. They affect relationships, identities, and the way couples navigate life together.

For David and Delila, dance has become more than movement therapy. It's created an entire social world — friends who understand what they're going through, instructors who believe in them, and a community where Parkinson's doesn't define who they are.

They've grown as individuals. They've grown as a couple. And they've found joy in a season of life that could have been defined by loss.

Saturday Will Be Their Third Showcase

Three years ago, Delila wasn't sure she could do this. The steps felt too hard. The disease felt too big. The frustration felt overwhelming.

Now, she's preparing to perform on stage. Again. For the third time.

David will be right there beside her, dancing with the woman he's loved for decades — not in spite of Parkinson's, but in defiance of everything it tries to take away.

That's resilience in motion.

Why Your Support Matters

Stories like David and Delila's don't happen by accident. They happen because of community support. Because of donors who believe that everyone — regardless of age, disability, or diagnosis — deserves access to programs that restore confidence, connection, and joy.

Rx Ballroom Dance provides free and low-cost classes to individuals with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's across Southern California. We're expanding into underserved communities — the Inland Empire, rural areas like Fallbrook, and Spanish-speaking populations in Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Chula Vista, and El Cajon.

We're serving over 800 students annually. We're partnering with organizations like Give 4 a Smile, Parkinson's Association of San Diego, and the Alzheimer's Foundation. We're conducting research with Concordia University to prove what we see every day: dance changes lives.

But we can't do this work without you.

Join Us Saturday, May 9th

Resilience in Motion: A Black and White Ball is our chance to celebrate stories like David and Delila's — and to raise the funds that make these transformations possible.

Here's what makes this night special:

✨ Every donation made at the gala is MATCHED dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000 by a generous anonymous donor. Your $100 becomes $200. Your $500 becomes $1,000. Your impact doubles.

✨ You'll see our students perform — including David and Delila taking the stage for their third showcase.

✨ You'll enter to win a luxury oceanfront Laguna Beach weekend getaway through our raffle.

✨ You'll be part of a community that believes in the healing power of dance.

How You Can Help (Even If You Can't Attend)

Get Your Tickets:Individual tickets are $75. Couple tickets are $150.Reserve your spot here

Become a Sponsor:Sponsorship opportunities are still available. Contact us to learn more about how your business or foundation can support this work.

Make a Donation:Can't make it Saturday? You can still donate online and your gift will be matched through May 9th.Donate here

Share This Story:Know someone who would be inspired by David and Delila's journey? Forward this post. Share it on social media. Help us spread the word about what's possible when we invest in programs that center healing, dignity, and joy.

Four Days to Go

Saturday night, David and Delila will step onto that stage. They'll dance together — not perfectly, but powerfully. They'll show everyone in that room what resilience looks like.

And they'll remind us why this work matters.

I hope you'll join us. Whether you're there in person, sponsoring from afar, or making a donation that doubles in impact — you're part of this story.

You're part of what makes transformation possible.

See you on the dance floor.

With gratitude,

Erin Angelo

Executive Director

Rx Ballroom Dance

Tickets & Donations: https://rxballroomdance.schoolauction.net/resilienceinmotion/homepages/show