Pasadena is home to the Lineage Performing Arts Center, a refuge for people with Parkinson’s disease. Lineage offers a variety of outreach classes where members can train to regain control of their body while learning to dance. Their free class, Dancing with Parkinson’s, is one of the few programs that blurs the line between art and physical therapy, and people of all ages are welcome. Every year, Lineage hosts a dance show where members get to show off their skills.

Even though Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that causes uncontrollable tremors, pain, rigidity, and problems with stability, depression is not uncommon. Students of the class insist it improves their lives. 48-year-old Trish Low has had intense pain ever since undergoing an invasive surgery in which a pacemaker that generates electrical impulses was implanted in her brain. She sought the class to “find some joy” and ended up with friends and increased self-confidence. “To know that I can still shake my booty a little bit, it’s good for my soul.” It has become not only a movement for health and physical fitness, but also for well-being, personal fulfillment, and a meaningful aesthetic experience.

Over two years ago, the company was already performing benefit concerts for medical nonprofits across the country, but in 2009 when dance instructor Michelle Kolb saw footage in a documentary about a dance class from the Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG), she was inspired to bring David Leventhal, program manager of MMDG’s Dance for PD program, to Pasadena for a training workshop. To this day, they now have more than 1,500 students and a lively community.

At the end of the day, dancers and people with Parkinson’s disease have a lot in common. Professionally-trained dancers are experts in strength, balance, and rhythm. They know about the power of dance as a force of meditation on movement, mind, and body. Dance for PD began as a support group and grew into a catalyst in creating other Parkinson’s communities where participants can explore well-being through singing, yoga, and various performance arts. "Although participants from all over the world tell us they find elements of the class therapeutic, the primary goal of our program is for people to enjoy dance for dancing’s sake in a group setting—and to explore the range of physical, artistic and creative possibilities that are still very much open to them,” says Leventhal.

You can take the Lineage Dancing with Parkinson’s class for free at the Lineage Performing Arts Center on Wednesdays at 2:00 pm. They also offer Dancing through Cancer and Dancing with Down Syndrome. Visit LineageDance.org for more information.

Botox (OnabotulinumtoxinA) is used to treat upper limb spasticity and cervical dystonia in adults. Watch this video to learn about your muscles and how exactly Botox works.

Learn about how...

• Botox interacts with nerve cells
• Botox stops involuntary muscle movements
• Muscles move and spasm
• Potential risks of Botox, possible symptoms.

• Patient would stretch his neck before and during workout sessions
• Started moving his neck in a certain direction followed by a constantly stiff neck
• Was told by multiple doctors that it would go away and he was fine
• Visited Chiropractor, didn't help stiff neck
• Dizziness arose, visited Orthopod?, was told degenerative disk disease was the culprit
• Was referred to an ear doctor for dizziness and was told that his neck problem caused it
• Physical therapy didn't help, was scared by his angled neck causing him pain
• His neck problem caused depression. He feared that his life would never be the same.
• Educated himself, thought it might be Dystonia
• Found Dr. Lisk. Lisk listened to his story and started testing for Dystonia
• Got Botox injections
• After several injections, he "feels great" and is "living his life like he used to"
• Dr. Lisk's compassion helped him get over his dystonia, depression

• 1/4 women die of heart disease.
• In 2004 ,60% of women died of heart disease - more than all cancers combined.
• Smoking, healthy weight, and poor diet contribute to heart disease.
• Exercise, lower stress and alcohol consumption, eat healthy foods all help fight off heart disease.

• Difference between a neurologist and a neurosurgeon
• What neurologists do
• What is a cat-scan? What is a MRI?
• Specialization in Movement Disorders
• "Fellowships" in neurology: becoming specialized with extra education
• Different types of Fellowships and sub-specializations
• Multiple scientific journals that specialize: Dystonia, Huntington's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Stroke, Epilepsy,
• (9:00)

• • Genetic movement disorders
• • The state of neurology. What do we know?
• • Misdiagnosed disorders in neurology

• (14:00)

• • The most prevalent disorder: essential tremor
• • The most well known disorder: Parkinson's
• • Relying on experts for correct diagnosed
• • Dystonia often misdiagnosed (with an example)
• • Botox use for real diseases
• • B12 deficiency causing numbness and several movement disorders
• • Vitamin usage may help or harm
• • Parkinson's Disease causing brain cells to die, may cause depression

• (26:00)

• • Exercise and it's effect on Parkinson's Disease
• • Insist on seeing in neurologists if you think you may be having issues