Movement As Medicine: Tulsa Ballet Helps Parkinson's Patients Find New Strength

A free dance class at the Tulsa Ballet is helping people who have Parkinson's. Exercise helps those with neurological disease, which affects movement and speech.

Every Monday afternoon at Tulsa Ballet's Brookside campus, a group of people with Parkinson's prepare to give it their all, in Studio E.

Students let the music inspire their movements, guided by instructors Julie Marquet and DeLynn Fairless.

The two of them are trained to teach this class, which is designed specifically to combat Parkinson's.

Much of the hourlong class is done while sitting, but work is done at the barre too.

"We tell them you're not wearing a tutu by any means,” Oklahoma Parkinson’s Alliance Development Director Matt Morton said.

The Oklahoma Parkinson's Alliance partnered with Tulsa Ballet in 2018, to introduce the free class. It's part of a program called "Dance for PD," which people are doing all over the world.

Morton said across Oklahoma, it's estimated 10-15,000 people have Parkinson’s.

"There's no cure for Parkinson’s Disease but there are a whole lot of treatments, a lot of great medications out there. That's about 50 percent of it. And then the other half, everyone will tell you, is being active. The worst thing you can do with Parkinson’s Disease is sit on the couch all day and watch TV,” Morton said.

"I love getting to come with Mike,” Lainey Staires said. Lainey and her husband, Michael, have been Tulsa Ballet dance students for about a year. Michael was diagnosed in 2019.

"Sometimes I'm just overwhelmed by the strength and the courage that's displayed every day, every time we come,” Michael said.

Parkinson's is progressive, and Lainey said the past few months, she has been focusing on helping Michael move the left side of his body, which is more impacted by the disease.

"One of the things that I've learned about myself is that I am not my body. I am not this Parkinson's,” Michael said. “This Parkinson's is something that my body, it affects my body but I am the spirit that lives inside my body. So, this tremor isn't me. The weak voice isn't me. I'm doing great -- it's my body that is going through some challenges right now."

Michael said he can't help but compare his abilities to others’, but still finds comfort each time he shows up to class. One benefit of having two instructors in the room, is giving students an option to follow modified movements.

"I'm not nearly as self-conscious about the tremor or about what I can't do here, because everyone understands and everyone's been really encouraging and helpful,” Michael said.

Michael knows he is among a group that chooses to persevere and doesn't allow Parkinson's to define them.

"My greatest weapon is gratitude,” he said. “I'm just so thankful for everything I have and for the abilities that I have and for family and community that surrounds me with love."

The class is offered every Monday from 2:00-3:00 p.m. at the Tulsa Ballet.