This paper reports one teacher’s action research in building a class series in modern
dance for adults with Parkinson disease and their spouses. The teacher strives
to flesh out the philosophical underpinnings and justify the movement content
chosen for a mixed group of newcomers to modern dance. Entering into a
research collaboration has afforded me the chance to rethink what dance is and
why it is such a powerful tool that allows people – even those with degenerative
diseases – to find ways to succeed in generating movement. When designing a
dance class for adults with special needs that arise from PD, a basic question that
helped spawn my movement content was, what elements should be incorporated
that best help participates generate movement on their own – movements that balance
physical risk-taking with safety in learning – so that the participant’s curiosity
and potential grow and are sustained over time? My inquiry into this basic
question is reported here.