On-line vs. On-site Dance for People with Parkinson’s Disease: An Evaluation Study

Background: Dance for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) has received much attention with studies showing its benefits in terms of physical and psychological changes. As people with PD experience barriers to participate in on-site activities, home-based telehealth interventions are becoming increasingly popular. This study examined the differences between digital and on-site dance for people with PD. Methods: This evaluation study used a secondary qualitative analysis of focus group data from six participants with PD who had experience of digital and on-site dance, as well as two interviews with the dance teacher of both dance formats for people with PD. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: Both the dancers and the dance teacher reported how the social and artistic aspects of on-site dance are not present to the same degree in digital dance. These aspects were experienced as important for acceptance of oneself and PD. Conclusions: This evaluation study demonstrates that the social and artistic aspects of dance are not experienced to the same degree within both types of dance. As these aspects were closely connected to acceptance of oneself and PD, this study encourages future efforts to focus on the social and artistic constructs within digital dance.