This is Alan and he has been to every class during our Rx Ballroom Dance summer session. Alan has been diagnosed with severe Alzheimer’s and struggles to remember basic information. Additionally the disease has robbed him of his normal speech patterns so regular social conversations can seem frustrating and hard to carry on.
The first day I met him, he was embarrassed about his perceived disabilities. But Alan loves to dance. He just lost his confidence to be in regular social situations.
Ballroom dance accesses new neural pathways to build new motor function skills. Alan couldn’t remember my name, but he remembered the merengue without needing any review. He couldn’t remember his birthday, but he waltzed for over 5 minutes without ever once missing a step. He sang along to the music. He experienced joy. This class was not about his disability. It was about enhancing the quality of his life.
Six weeks later and Alan has seen improvement in balance, coordination and his overall ability to remember directions. It did not happen in a day, but consistent practice and showing up every week has made a huge difference.
Your support gave Alan this opportunity. Thank you to everyone who has donated, volunteered and contributed to make a difference.
Fall program starts Monday, August 5th and we can’t wait for our new group of Fall students to experience the prescription of Rx Ballroom Dance!