Research into the impact of a virtual dance and exercise program on people with Parkinson’s Disease was presented by team members from the Department of Physical Therapy Education and Performing Arts
Srikant Vallabhajosula, associate professor of physical therapy education, and Jen Guy Metcalf, associate professor of dance, were awarded a Parkinson’s Foundation Community Grant in 2021. The grant was given to support MOve Virtually with Elon (MO.V.E.) Program for Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease. The program took place from 2021 to 2022 with virtual classes in the fall and spring.
Faculty members from the Department of Physical Therapy Education and Performing Arts steered the MO.V.E. Program with assistance from Doctor of Physical Therapy candidates and majors in Dance Science and Dance Performance & Choreography. Upon completion of the program, the team submitted their research to the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS) Conference.
The proposal by Alys Giordano, Ann Heil, Allie Knuckles, Bridgette Macapagal, Jen Guy Metcalf, and Srikant Vallabhajosula was accepted by IAMDS as a lecture presentation.
Ann Heil, a recent graduate from the Department of Physical Therapy Education, and Metcalf presented the “Impact of Virtual Dance and Exercise Program on People with Parkinson’s Disease” at IADMS on Oct. 12, 2023, in Columbus, Ohio.
Those interested in learning more about Dance for Parkinson’s programs in North Carolina, please contact Metcalf at jguy@elon.edu.