WATCH: This NGO Helps People With Parkinson's to Dance Through Life

(SPOT.ph) Parkinson's Disease, a progressive neurological condition that causes uncontrollable movements, may sound like a very Western issue. But emerging data shows that it's also prevalent in the Philippines. For example, Novy Bereber—former Ballet Philippines choreographer and dancer—was initially unaware of this medical condition until he attended a two-week dance teacher workshop for Parkinson's Disease (PD) in Sydney. After finding out that his partner's cousin and father's sister are also dealing with PD, he was even more motivated to create a similar program in the Philippines.

Sayaw PD, which he founded in 2019, is a non-profit organization that hosts dance classes for people with PD. It focuses on dance as means of expression, where participants start with seated exercises and gradually incorporate standing and ballet movements. And while it uses elements of therapy, its goal is to let the students be creative, have fun, and relish the joy of dancing.

Find out more about the power of dance therapy with Sayaw PD and Novy Bereber through this video:

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