In June, the Parkinson's community came together to celebrate creativity. The first Parkinson's Creativity Expo showcased visual and performing arts (dance, as well as vocal and instrumental music) by people living with Parkinson's. The event was co-sponsored by Parkinson Support and Wellness and Cincinnati Ballet, which conducts Parkinson's-specific classes through their CB Moves program, and supported through a generous grant from Ohio Arts Council.
About 125 people watched, sang, ate, played and learned at the event. For those of us involved in the event's planning, it was rewarding to watch the people arrive and to see their faces when a beautiful piece of music or a dance was performed, or even better yet, when a loved one took the stage.
Members of the CB Moves for Parkinson's class performed a newly commissioned piece by David Morse in tandem with a few members of Cincinnati Ballet's Second Company and Professional Training Division, teachers from the class, and David Morse himself. They made us all look graceful by mirroring our dance improvisation. "From Cadence to Connection" depicted how sudden life transitions can force us to let go of routine in favor of human connection and community and was memorable for both those dancing in it and audience members.
Other performances included a guitar and soprano duet, a lute and recorder duet, and a piano and recorder duet. The Steady Strides Singers sang five songs, one from the World Parkinson Congress 2016. There were several opportunities for audience participation -- from making a shaker egg to use in an interactive percussion segment to composing a poem. One committee member said she was moved to tears by how the arts can provide rich, powerful experiences.
We are all tremendously grateful for those who helped make this possible: through their participation, attendance, or financial support.
We have just begun scratching the surface; there is so much more creativity within our PD community to celebrate! We are already planning Creativity Expo 2026 for MAY 30, 2026. We hope to see you-- our new friends, colleagues, and loved ones--for an exciting afternoon celebrating the talents of many folks with PD.