Personal Impressions from the Dance Class

Personal Impressions from the Dance Class

Personal Impressions from the Dance Classes By Haya Shalom and Rita Arditi,
who are participating as Parkinson’s-Dancers in the classes in Israel

 

Personal Impressions from the Class on Monday April 13th by Haya Shalom:

That morning I was hesitating whether to come to class or not. I didn’t feel well. I felt I had no energy. My head was “strained” and the mouth was nearly “locked”. I hoped that the travel from Jerusalem to Jaffa will calm me and help me relax. It didn’t. But I arrived. I told Sigal, our instructing teacher:” Today I am not in my best, I don’t know if I can fully participate”.
And then the class began. I love movement and touch, and surely like to have fun. Until lately I was in acting workshops and most of all I enjoyed the improvisations. In these moments I am loose and careless.
So, I had fun working in couples with Meirav, Guy and Shuli. With Guy I really enabled myself to do whatever I felt like, and of course I mirrored him when he was dynamically leading. He is an excellent partner to play with. We really had fun.
During the activity, I felt I am quite improved, quite completely normal. I just had a small “cramp” in the mouth that stayed.
It is clear to me now that in order to heal myself I need laughter, freedom and movement.
I think that it happened due to the fact that the activity releases the hormone Endorphin (Endorphin is a hormone that gives a sensation of deep and remarkable serenity, of optimism and happiness). And that is exactly what I need (who wouldn’t?!), and that is what will help me the most.
I’ve told Sigal and Yasmeen about the “miracle” that happened to me as a direct result from the class.
Afterwards I was with enough energy to go to The Tel-Aviv Museum, where I enjoyed the photography exhibition and the exhibition of the Israeli artists; I had such a great time that I had lunch in the museum’s bistro – great food and a pleasant place to be in…And there I also realized that the mouth is relaxed too…
That normal feeling lasted until the evening, when a minor tension and slightly getting angry was enough to have my mouth being “locked” again. The day afterwards, after an hour of massage, my mouth was released. Release – we also need that.
I am now wondering where I can find in Jerusalem a workshop that will bring me to a release, serenity and being full of energies.
To remind you, I am from the “new Parkinsonians”, two and a half years of living with Parkinson, although I was diagnosed only about 8 months ago.

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Personal Impressions by Rita Arditi:

(15/5/2015)
Hi Yasmeen,
You have no idea how much I enjoy coming to your studio. As someone who in the last years didn’t really maintain continuity in any activity, I surprise myself, again and again, each time when I am really anticipating Mondays. I arrive “crouched” and leave “floating” and smiling…and thanks for that to the whole team. I wanted to ask you if there is a possibility for an extra class during the week, in payment, of course.
And as for the Blog…I can continue writing in Hebrew, so, with much joy and pleasure.
Rita

(14/5/2015)
Hi Sigal,
Yesterday’s class was really really fun and challenging, and great thanks to you for that. The interaction between us, the PD and you guys, the dancers, is doing wonders. To be honest, I don’t remember the last time I was “raving” like that…
You surely noticed the significant improvement in my balance, right?
Thanks again,
Rita

(19/3/2015)
Hi Guy, hi Sigal,
You happened to approach me earlier than my usual weekly e-mail  Apparently it is better to send the feedback at the same day. So… I am having a great time and I feel very comfortable. You have no idea how excited my family members were when I told them that I am going to a dance course. My younger daughter, 15.5, was deeply impressed when I told her about the Capoeira.
During the years I learned to live with the disease and I even laugh at certain situations it brings upon me.
Sigal, the situation when my toes are lifted from the floor and you are immediately alert to that and try to balance me, with much success I must say, makes me laugh each time.
And seriously, that support is really good to me.
About the Diver’s Sign…what are you talking about?
I don’t think there is a need for special signs. If I would need a break I will simply go aside.
And lastly… the speech ability. Some background: six and half years ago I had an operation for implementing electrodes in my brain. The motoric improvement was immediate and significant, but the speech was damaged, gradually. And today, it is not that I don’t speak at all. The sound of my voice is really really low, and the speech is really slurred.
And with these optimistic words, I will finish.

9/3/2015
Hi,
I will write to you what I want to say in words… I will be happy if you can pass it to each of the instructors. You were wonderful! To be honest, since the initial e-mails the whole story sounded interesting to me. And so, I expecting it to be fun. But, as people say “reality exceeds the imagination”…
It was fun, it was interesting, it was fascinating! I came to you with many concerns…among them: how do you survive an hour and a half without getting bored, without getting tired?
Time passed by quickly and pleasantly

So again, many thanks!
Rita