FOUNDER & CEO

As the Founder and CEO of Dancing with Parkinson's, I have had the privilege of combining my passion for dance and my purpose every day over the last 16 years. My interest in Parkinson’s disease (PD) began in 2007 when I was helping Andy Barrie, of Canadian radio broadcast fame, with functional exercise to help him stay strong and flexible as he managed his PD symptoms. While he wasn’t particularly interested in traditional fitness, he did want to learn the  foxtrot. When I discovered the Mark Morris Dance Groups’ groundbreaking PD dance program, I got on the next flight to NYC to  train in their evidenced-based method that helps people living with Parkinson’s find joy and freedom through movement. 

In 2008, we launched a program that offered one free dance class a week. Since then, our program has expanded to include in-person and online classes every single day of the year, free of charge. We now serve  thousands of people living with PD, as well as seniors from across our country and beyond. 

Through this time, it has become very clear that the DWP program is so much more than just a “dance class”. It serves as a vital public health intervention, offering inclusive opportunities for expansive movement, connection and transformation to individuals of all ages, experiences, and abilities. DWP aims to provide a safe foundation where participants can feel the beauty and joy of creative self-expression, and experience the transformative power of dance to rejuvenate, invigorate, and elevate, revitalizing the body and mind.

For many who join us in-person and online, DWP classes are a gateway to connection, vitality and potential. Through the universal language of dance, we embrace a vision that knows no limits, that defies age and circumstance, and welcomes everyone who dares to dream, aspire, and become the embodiment of their own imagination.

After 16 years, the magic of asking each other to dance still feels like the first time. The love that is cultivated by this community will never cease to fill my heart and warm my soul. This is a place where strangers become friends and friends become family, united by the rhythm of a shared journey towards self-discovery.

I invite you to join us as we illuminate the transformational benefits of movement, music and community for seniors and those living with Parkinson's disease. Together we will dance toward a future fueled by the infinite possibility of who we have yet to become.

Let’s dance.

Thank you.

I am honoured to have received an award from the MLSE and Raptors organization for our work to keep seniors active, connected and engaged during COVID-19.