Objectives: (1) To appraise and synthesize the literature on dance interventions for individuals with Parkinson disease (PD); (2) to provide information regarding the frequency, intensity, duration, and type of dance used in these programs; and (3) to inform the development of future studies evaluating dance interventions in this population. Data Extraction: Data regarding participants and the frequency, intensity, duration, and type of dance form used were extracted. The effect that each dance program had on defined outcomes and the feasibility of each program were also reviewed. DataData Synthesis: Thirteen articles were identified. The quality of studies varied, and methodological limitations were evident in some. The evidence evaluated suggests that two 1-hour dance classes per week over 10 to 13 weeks may have beneficial effects on endurance, motor impairment, and balance.Conclusions: Dance may be helpful for some people with PD. This article provides preliminary information to aid clinicians when implementing dance programs for people with PD. Higher-quality multicenter studies are needed to determine the effect of other dance genres and the optimal therapy volume and intensity.

For people with mild to moderately severe PD, set dancing is feasible and enjoyable and may improve quality of life.

Dance exposure is erratic in these cohorts with dancers frequently performing when injured. Poor sleep, general health, and increased dance exposure may be associated with injury.

Previous research in Irish dancing (ID) has recorded high levels of pain/injury. Screening protocols in other genres have been developed to identify at-risk dancers. The aims of the study were to examine the factors that relate to absence from dancing because of musculo-skeletal pain/injury in ID, and to inform guidelines for the development of an evidence-based screening protocol. Baseline subjective data (n = 85) and physical data (n = 84) were gathered. Subjects completed a monthly online questionnaire for 1 year providing data on general physical and psychological health and rates of pain/injury. Subjects were allocated to a "More Time Absent (MTA)" or "Less Time Absent (LTA)" category depending on their duration of absence from performance over the year. Eighty-four subjects completed the year-long follow-up (MTA: n = 32; LTA: n = 52). Two hundred seventy-eight complaints of pain/injury were recorded. Factors significantly associated with membership of the MTA group included greater anger-hostility (P = 0.003), more subjective health complaints (P = 0.026), more severe previous pain/injury (P = 0.017), more general everyday pain (P = 0.020), more body parts affected by pain/injury (P = 0.028), always/often dancing in pain (P = 0.028), and insufficient sleep (P = 0.043). Several biopsychosocial factors appear to be associated with absence from ID because of pain/injury. Biopsychosocial screening protocols and prevention strategies may best identify at-risk dancers.

Objective: To investigate if community-based Irish set dancing is feasible in Irish adults with Parkinson's disease. Methods:Over an eight week period, ten participants attended one set dancing class per week and completed a home programme in parallel. Feasibility was assessed by monitoring adverse effects, participants' verbal feedback, compliance rates and feedback from an exit questionnaire. Participants were assessed using the Berg balance scale, 6-min walk test, UPDRS-3 and PDQ-39, before and after the intervention. Results:No adverse effects were detected. Attendance at classes was 86%. Compliance with the home programme was 67%. Findings from the exit questionnaire showed participants enjoyed participating and reported improvements in aspects of health including balance.Quality of life improved with the dance programme and there was a trend toward improvement on the UPDRS-3. Conclusion:These findings suggest community-based Irish set dancing is a feasible form of exercise that can positively influence quality of life.

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In addition to the difficulties encountered by non-dancing university students, university-level dancers may encounter a range of challenges due to their status as aesthetic athletes. This pilot study compares the biopsychosocial characteristics of contemporary dance (CD) and Irish dance (ID) university students. CD (N = 30) and ID (N = 27) participants from institutions in Ireland and the United Kingdom were screened using a host of subjective and objective tools to establish baseline biopsychosocial characteristics. Participants also provided extensive information regarding their injury history over the previous year. The groups were compared using simple descriptive statistics, independent t-test or Mann Whitney U tests and chi-square tests as appropriate. CD participants danced for significantly more hours each week (p < 0.001) than the ID group, who spent significantly less time warming up (p < 0.001) and more time engaged in weekly non-dance-related physical activities (p = 0.022). CD participants performed significantly better that the ID group on the Star Excursion

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