<h1>I am the Lord of the dance said he </h1>

I first started to take a serious interest in music around the time Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper were killed in a plane crash. I liked all kinds of music and to satisfy my hunger and that of my brother, our parents presented us with a portable record player about the size of a lawn mower (without the handle, of course). Still, it was better than the earlier version they had picked up somewhere, a veritable antique, no electricity involved; there was just a winding handle, like a crank on a Model T. On the one hand, it was good because it was chordless and could go anywhere,but on the other hand, you had to wind it up to get the turntable to spin and it always slowed down before the record ended so

All of my love, all of my kissin'
You don't know what you been a missin'

became

Awwll uff my lufff,awwww of my kissiiiin
yuh donnn knowwwwattyouuu binnn a missssssiiig

At this point you would madly wind it up again and the song would gradually go back to normal.

The new electric portable record player could play 78's, 45's and the ultimate 33 and one third formats. Do you remember stacking the records on the spindle or those little plastic things we put in the large holes of the 45's so they too could be stacked. Great times.

There was only one problem. With all of that music available, it was inevitable, a teenager had to learn to DANCE! Some guys took to it naturally. They had rhythm. Not me, I had no clue how to jive (in spite of my mother trying to teach me). The result was my poor girlfriend had to sit out the fast music and wait for a slow song. She got a respite from sitting at the side of the dance floor when Chubby Checker made the twist popular. Anybody could twist and so we were able to dance 80% of the dances. For some reason, that made her happy.

Why all the old war stories about dancing? Well, a loyal reader pointed me in the direction of an article of the benefits of dance as a strategy for dealing with PD. I love listening to music. I taught myself how to play the guitar and would sing to my children. But dance! That is the natural reaction to music. Sadly, I still have 2 left feet and I stick to my principle that you should always try something once, except maybe not murder or...... dancing.

But there it was in black and white. Dancing helps. Neurologic music therapy

Dance is a therapeutic intervention technique for motor dysfunctions. It is a rhythmic movement of the body to music, and this coordination of movement to music can be a critical part of music therapy for patients with movement dysfunctions. The combination of both music and exercise maximizes the function as therapeutic intervention.

Gait dysfunctions that are commonly noticed in Parkinson's disease are a flexed posture, shuffling steps, difficulty in stride length regulation, reduced foot clearance during swing phase, and increased cadence. Dancing can be used as a therapeutic tool to efficiently improve balance and complex gait tasks. One form of dancing is tango which incorporates numerous turns. The moves involve movement initiation, postural control, turning, dynamic balancing, random perturbation, and termination. The characteristics of these movements specifically aim for improving patients with Parkinson's disease.

God. Do I have to go back in time and learn how to dance! I would look the fool. Maybe I could "tango"!!!!Right, in your dreams! I tell you, if dance is required, I won't be a part of your therapy revolution. I would rather have tremors than dance. I would look like Elaine Benes in that Seinfeld episode. Dance! there is just no way ...well, maybe alone in my basement. In the meantime, for the rest of you:

Dance then, wherever you may be
I am the Lord of the Dance, said He!
And I will lead you all, and I can guarantee(
That we'll find a cure for that rogue PD