Marcelle Thomas says it took a little convincing to get her husband to take dance therapy classes at Les Grands Ballets Canadiens with her.
Now that she’s got him in the dance studio, she says he hasn’t turned back.
“He’s the only man in the group, so he enjoys it very much,” laughs Thomas.
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She explains the changes in her body are not only physical — they’re emotional and mental, too.
“I think it’s joy, the happiness that it brings you,” Thomas told Global News.
“I took enough classes to see the change in myself. I can see myself moving differently, thinking a little bit differently and emotionally, I would say I’m more open.”
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At the age of 70, Thomas says she’s lucky to still feel so good in her skin, and takes the class to stay healthy.
“I feel my body shrinking at times, so I really opened and my posture is better, my breathing is better. Everything. I’m younger,” she said.
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Thursday marks the beginning of a three-day event to bring together over 40 specialists to share their knowledge about how dance and movement can improve people’s health — including how they feel about themselves.
“It’s to see how dance could bring a better quality of life,” explained Christian Sénéchal, the centre’s director.
“Usually when you are dancing, you’re dancing in a group so there’s socializing. When you’re dancing you can express yourself differently without speaking.”
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It’s the first edition of the International Symposium for Dance and Wellbeing, an initiative of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens’ National Centre for Dance Therapy.
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The event will offer lectures, panel discussions and workshops, bringing together professionals from all over the world who work in the fields of dance, medicine, academic research and therapy.
Thomas says the classes have opened up her mind — and her husband’s mind — to try new things.
“Now that we take dance therapy, my husband tells me, ‘we should take tango now,’ and before, he always refused,” she told Global News.
“We’re more easily able to dance together now. We enjoy it so much.”
If you or someone you know is interested in taking dance therapy classes, click on the links below:
- Ballet for people living with down syndrome
- Ballet for people living with autism
- Ballet for people living with intellectual impairments
- Parkinson in movement
- Dance for seniors
- Tango for couples
- Cognitive stimulation through dance and movement
- Facilitated movement
- Dance therapy for parents and caregivers
- Dance therapy for stress reduction
- Dance for chronic pain
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