Silver Swans - Hollie’s dance class for Parkinson’s
Have you ever wondered where your money goes when you donate to Quality In Parkinson’s charity? We fund projects that improve the quality of life for people with Parkinson’s. In our latest blog, we’re meeting Hollie Dawson-Marks, one of our recent grant recipients. Hollie is a dance teacher who received funding from us to run a Parkinson’s dance project in Leicestershire. Find out how your money helped people boost their wellbeing.
Meet Hollie Dawson-Marks, Parkinson’s Silver Swans dance teacher
Make it stand out
Tell us about your Parkinson’s project that we funded
I started a dance class for people who have Parkinson’s disease and/or mobility issues. It’s for people with Parkinson’s and people who want to be more mobile or have disabilities or are older, and an exercise class would be too much for them.
Dance takes your mind away from problems and also uses movement without thinking of body parts. It’s more creative, and expressive and is a secret exercise!
What made you decide to run this project?
I trained with The Mark Morris Dance Company in New York on their Dance for PD programme and thought there would be an opportunity to set up a class in my area that is a little different from the generic exercise class.
Do you have any personal experience of Parkinson's?
I started teaching older adults ‘Silver Swans” ballet classes through the Royal Academy of Dance in 2021.
I met a lady who had Parkinson’s and she was always encouraging me to pursue dance for Parkinson’s after she told me it had helped her through lockdown. I researched for a long time before applying for the course in 2023 and was accepted.
What are the benefits of your project?
To show that dance can be used as a form of exercise, as well as a great way to forget and be a release from everyday life.
The way I teach uses an external focus of movement to get people moving to their full potential.
Instead of using body parts to create movement, I use imagination so movement isn’t focused on ‘lifting an arm’, it’s ’let’s reach up to the warm sunshine’.
It is amazing how much people can move when the emphasis is away from thinking about moving a specific body part!
I also made sure my class had a social element afterwards.
It’s so important to talk, we chat about anything and I think being able to talk to people outside of the family unit helps people with illnesses open up and discuss things (or vent) to people with impartial input.
What feedback have you had from your users?
That the class takes their mind away from other things for a little while and the social part is their treat after exercising! Balance has improved.
How did the funding help you?
The funding has been a huge help to me by being able to pay for the hall hire, advertise, being able to pay for an assistant who remains seated while I do the class standing.
It’s been what has made my class run and make it inclusive to those who attend. I am extremely grateful for the funding help, and even more so for the belief and support from the charity.
Apply for funding for your Parkinson’s project
Did you know you could apply to us for funding for your project, providing it’s designed to improve the quality of life of people living with Parkinson’s? Typically, we fund projects relating to fitness, sports, movement and the arts.
Send us an email to get started - admin@qualityinparkinsons.org.uk
