Review Article

Dance Is an Accessible Physical Activity for People with Parkinson’s Disease

Table 2

Study characteristics.

First author, yearStudy designSample sizeInterventionsAge (years) mean ± SD
Sex (M, F)
H&Y mean ± SD, range, or median (IQR)Session length, frequency, intervention durationMedicationsOutcome measures

Randomised studies
Duncan and Earhart, 2012 [62]RCT62Argentine Tango69.3 ± 1.9
M: 15, F: 11
2.6 ± 0.11 hr class, 2/week, 12 monthsNot reported but tested in the “off phase”UPDRS-II, UPDRS-III, FOG, 6MWT, MiniBEST, gait velocity
Control, no dance69.0 ± 1.5
M: 15, F: 11
2.5 ± 0.1
Duncan and Earhart, 2014 [54]RCT10Argentine Tango67.8 ± 8.72
M: 4, F: 1
2.41 hr, 2/week, 2 yearsLevodopaUPDRS-I, UPDRS-II, UPDRS-III, MiniBEST, gait velocity, TUG, dual-task TUG, 6MWT, FOGQ
Control, no dance66 ± 11.0
M: 4, F: 1
2.3
Kunkel et al., 2017 [55]RCT51Dance (mixed genre)71.3 ± 7.7
M: 19, F: 17
1–31 hr, 2/week, 10 weeksNot reportedBBS, SS180, TUG, 6MWT, Phone-FITT, EQ-5D, ABC
Control, no dance69.7 ± 6.0
M: 6, F: 9
1–3
Hackney and Earhart, 2010 [60]RCT39Partner dancing69.6 ± 8.5
M: 13, F: 6
2-31 hr, 2/week, 10 weeksLevodopaUPDRS-III, BBS, tandem stance, one leg stance, TUG, 6MWT, gait measures
Nonpartner dancing69.6 ± 9.5
M: 15, F: 5
2-2.6
Hackney and Earhart, 2009 [61]RCT58Waltz/foxtrot66.8 ± 2.4
M: 11, F: 6
2.0 ± 0.21 hr, 2/week, 13 weeksLevodopaUPDRS-III, BBS, TUG, 6MWT, gait measures, FOGQ
Tango68.2 ± 1.4
M: 11, F: 3
2.1 ± 0.1
Control, no dance66.5 ± 2.8
M: 12, F: 5
2.2 ± 0.2
Hackney et al., 2007 [59]RCT19Tango72.6 ± 2.20
M: 6, F: 3
2.3 ± 0.71 hr, 2/week, 13 weeksPD medicationsUPDRS-III, BBS, gait velocity, TUG, FOGQ
Group exercise class69.6 ± 2.1
M: 6, F: 4
2.2 ± 0.6
Hashimoto et al., 2015 [67]Quasi-RCT46PD dance67.9 ± 7.0
M: 3, F: 12
Score 2 (11)60 min class, 1/week, 12 weeksNot reportedTUG, BBS, UPDRS, SDS, FAB, Mental Rotation Task, Apathy Scale
PD exercise62.7 ± 14.9
M: 2, F: 15
Score 3 (33)60 min class, 1/week, 12 weeks
Control, usual care69.7 ± 4.0
M: 7, F: 7
Score 4 (2)
Lee et al., 2015 [57]RCT20Virtual reality dance68.4 ± 2.9
M: 5, F: 5
Not reported30 mins, 5/week, 6 weeksNot reportedBBS, BDI, MBI
Control70.1 ± 3.3
M: 5, F: 5
Lee et al., 2018 [63]RCT with cross-over design32Qigong dance65.8 ± 7.2
M: 10, F: 15
1–360 min, 2/week, 8 weeksNot reportedUPDRS, PDQL, BBS, BDI
Control, wait list65.7 ± 6.4
M: 7, F: 9
1–3
McKee and Hackney, 2013 [66]Sequential RCT33Tango68.4 ± 7.5
M: 12, F: 12
2.3 (2.0-2.6)90 mins, 20 sessions, 12 weeksPD medicationsUPDRS-III, Four-Square Step Test, TUG, dual-task TUG, PDQ-39, FOGQ, SFHS-12
Lecture series74.4 ± 6.5
M: 8, F: 1
2.0 (2.0- 2.0)
Michels et al., 2018 [30]Pilot RCT13Dance therapy69.2 ± 8.7 (total)
M: 6, F: 7 (total)
2.11 ± 0.33
2.5 ± 1.00
60 mins, 1/week, 10 weeksStable PD medication regimenUPDRS, MOCA, TUG, BBS, BDI, FSS, Visual Analog Fatigue Scale, PDQ-39
Control, support group
Poier et al., 2019 [64]Pilot RCT29Argentine Tango68.50 ± 8.07
M: 9, F: 5
Not reported60 min class, 1/week, 10 weeksNot reportedPDQ-39, BMLSS, ICPH
Control, Tai Chi68.87 ± 10.96
M: 3, F: 12
Rocha et al., 2018 [27]Pilot RCT21Argentine Tango70.2 ± 5.5
M: 4, F: 6
1–4In-person: 1 hour, 1/week
Home: 40 mins, 1/week, 8 weeks
PD medicationTUG, BBS, functional gait assessment, FOGQ, UPDRS-II and -III, PDQ-39
Mixed dance72.9 ± 5.5
M: 4, F: 7
Rio Romenets et al., 2015 [58]RCT33Argentine Tango63.2 ± 9.9
M: 12, F: 6
2 ± 0.51 hr, 2/week, 12 weeksNot reportedUPDRS-III, UPDRS, MiniBEST, TUG, dual-task TUG, BDI, Apathy Scale, KFSS, PDQ-39, CGI-C, FOGQ, Falls Questionnaire, MOCA
Control64.3 ± 8.1
M: 7, F: 8
1.7 ± 0.6
Shanahan et al., 2017 [26]RCT41Set dancing69 ± 10
M: 13, F: 7
1.25 ± 1In-person: 1 hr, 1/weekNot reportedUPDRS-III, 6MWT, MiniBEST, PDQ-39
Control, usual care and ADL69 ± 8
M: 13, F: 8
2 ± 1Home: 20 mins, 3/week, 10 weeks
Solla et al., 2019 [56]RCT20Sardinian folk dance67.8 ± 5.9
M: 6, F: 4
2.1 ± 0.690 mins, 2/week, 12 weeksPD medicationsUPDRS-III, 6MWT, BBS, TUG, Parkinson’s Disease Fatigue Scale, BDI, Starkstein Apathy Scale, MOCA
Control, usual care67.1 ± 6.3
M: 7, F: 3
2.3 ± 0.4
Volpe et al., 2013 [65]RCT: single blind, parallel group24Intervention: Irish set dancing61.6 ± 4.5
M: 7, F: 5
2.2 ± 0.490 min classes, 1/week, 6 monthsLevodopa (n=24)
I: 725.0 mg ± 234
C: 645.0 ± 216
Also, pramipexole,ropinirole, rotigotine,rasagiline, entacapone
UPDRS-III, BBS, FOG, PDQ-39
Control: physiotherapy (balance, cueing, gait training, strength)65.0 ± 5.3
M: 6, F: 6
2.2 ± 0.490 mins, 1/week, 6 months, 1 hr weekly home video
Nonrandomised studies
Albani et al., 2019 [68]Single group, pre-post design, feasibility10Tango-based home exercises and group sessions63.1 ± 9.25
M: 6, F: 4
2-3Home: 1 hr, 4/week, 5 weeks
Group session: 2 hr 1/ week, 5 weeks
Not reportedGait measures (fully cued visual four-choice reaction-time tasks, simple reaction-time task, an uncued task, two partially cued tasks), UPDRS
Batson, 2010 [77]Single group, pre-post design11Modern dance72.7 + 8.7
M: 5, F: 6
1-2.585 min class 3/week, 3 weeksSinemet n=7,
Azilect n=1, Requip n=1,
No med n=2
TUG, FAB
Blandy et al., 2015 [70]Single group, pre-post design6Argentine Tango64 ± 6.28
M: 3, F: 3
2 (2-2)1 hr, 2/week, 4 weeks“ON” phase of medicationEQ-5D, Visual Analogue Scale, BDI
Dahmen-Zimmer and Jansen, 2017 [69]Pre-post design, pilot trial37Karate (Shotokan)68.87 ± 7.24
M: 13, F: 3
1–31 hr, 1/week, 30 weeksNot reportedMultidimensional Mood State Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, CEDS Depression Scale, SFHS-12, Short Scale Of General Self-Efficacy
Dance (mixed genre)72.33 ± 6.69
M: 6, F: 3
Control (waitlist)70.42 ± 10.07
M: 8, F: 4
Delextrat et al., 2016 [71]Single group, pre-post design, feasibility11Zumba64.0 ± 8.1
M: 5, F: 6
<345 mins–1 hr, 1/week, 6 weeksNot reportedEnjoyment, change in physical activity, exercise intensity (accelerometry), heart rate, rated perceived exertion
Hackney and Earhart, 2009 [72]Single group, pre-post design14Argentine Tango67.2 ± 9.6
M: 9, F: 5
2.4 (25%:2.0; 75%:2.5)1.5 hrs, 5/week, 2 weeksNot reportedUPDRS-III, BBS, TUG, 6MWT, gait measures
Hackney and McKee, 2014 [28]Single group, pre-post, pilot trial88Argentine Tango (PD)68.4 ± 7.5
M: 13, F: 12
1–31.5 hrs, 2/week for 12 weeksPD medicationUPDRS-III, BBS, TUG, gait speed assessment, 30 second chair stand, tandem stance
Older adults (non-PD)82.3 ± 8.8
M: 49, F: 14
Heiberger et al., 2011 [78]Single group, pre-post design11Mixed genre dance71.3 ± 8.4
M: 5, F: 6
Moderate to severe 2.5–41/week class, 8 monthsL-Dopa or dopamine agonistsUPDRS-III, TUG, QOLS, Westheimer Questionnaire
Kalyani et al., 2019 [81]Quasiexperimental design33Dance (mixed genre)65.24 ± 11.88
M: 3, F: 14
1.65 ± 0.791 hr, 2/week, 12 weeksNot reportedUPDRS-I, UPDRS-II, PDQ39
Control66.50 ± 7.70
M: 10, F: 6
1.56 ± 0.81
Listewnik and Ossowski, 2018 [75]Single group, pre-post design10Dance69.9 ± 6.47
M: 5, F: 5
70 mins, 2/week for 12 weeksNot reportedTinetti POMA Test, TUG, 6MWT
McGill et al., 2018 [85]Non-RCT32Ballet69.83 ± 4.55
M: 9, F: 10
2.32 ± 0.481.25-1.5 hrs, 1/week for 1 yearNot reportedStep and stride variability, ABC
Control73.25 ± 8.09
M: 6, F: 7
2.15 ± 0.55
McKay et al., 2016 [80]Single group study22Adapted Tango65.4 ± 12.8
M: 7, F: 15
1–490 mins, 15 lessons over 3 weeksNot reportedUPDRS, dyskinesia, BBS, Dynamic Gait Index, FAB, musculoskeletal health, 6MWT, single and dual-task TUG, fast and preferred cadence, ABC, FOGQ
McNeely et al., 2015 [74]Pre-post design16Dancing for PD (mixed genre)
Tango
68.25 ± 10.90
M: 4, F: 4
2.25 ± 0.271 hr group class, 2/week, 12 weeksLevodopaUPDRS-III, MiniBEST, TUG, dual-task TUG, 6MWT, gait velocity
67.66 ± 8.62
M: 4, F: 4
2.13 ± 0.58
McRae et al., 2018 [87]Exploratory study, surveys61Dancing for Parkinson’s Disease (mixed genre)67 ± 13
M: 21, F: 40
1–41-2/week, 12 months (6months–2 years), session length unknownNot reported36-Item Short Form Health Survey, Self-Efficacy Scale, functional mobility
Marchant et al., 2010 [79]Single group, pre-post design11Improvisation dance71.2 ± 6.1
M: 4, F: 7
2.4 ± 0.410 1.5-hour classes, 2 weeksPD medicationUPDRS-III, BBS, TUG, gait measures, Five Times Sit-to-Stand Test, 6MWT, FOGQ, ABC, PDQ-39
Rawson et al., 2019 [86]Nonrandomised controlled96Tango vs treadmill vs control (stretching)67.2 ± 8.9
M: 56, F: 40
1–41 hr class, 2/week, 12 weeksLevodopaUPDRS-III, PDQ-39, 6MWT, MiniBEST, gait measures
Seidler et al., 2017 [84]Non-RCT26Telerehab dance68.1 ± 7.9
M: 4, F: 6
1–31 hr, 2/week, 12 weeksNot reportedMiniBEST, UPDRS-III, gait velocity
In-person dance68.9 ± 9.4
M: 5, F: 5
Shanahan et al., 2015 [76]Single group, pre-post pilot trial10In-person and home-based dance programs66.66 ± 5.87
M: 7, F: 3
1.5 ± 0.5In-person: 1.5 hrs. 1/week
Home: 20 mins, 2/week, 8 weeks
Not reportedUPDRS, 6MWT, BBS
Tillmann et al., 2020 [83]Non-RCT47Brazilian samba67 ± 9.2
n=23
1.8 ± 0.71 hr, 2/week, 12 weeks4 months stable medicationPDQ-39, PDSS, BDI, FSS, UPDRS-I
Control69.6 ± 9.5
n=24
Tunur et al., 2020 [73]Pre-post -mixed methods7Google glass dance modules69 ± 5.5
M: 3, F: 4
2–33+ modules/day, 3 weeks. Session length not reportedNot reportedMiniBEST, one leg stance, TUG, dual-task TUG, ABC, BDI, PDQL
Zafar et al., 2017 [82]Pre-post design88Adapted Tango (PD)68.4 ± 8
M: 13, F: 12
1–390 min, 2/week, 12 weeksPD medicationFear of falling, quality of life, composite physical function, MOCA, BDI, UPDRS-III, gait velocity, Impact on Participation and Autonomy Questionnaire
Adapted Tango (non-PD)82.3 ± 9
M: 14, F: 49

Note: 6MWT, Six-Minute Walk Test; ABC, Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale; BBS, Berg Balance Scale; BDI, Beck Depression Inventory; EQ-5D, EuroQol-5 Dimension; FAB, Fullerton Advance Balance Scale; FOGQ, Freezing of Gait Questionnaire; FSS, Fatigue Severity Scale; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; KFSS, Krupp Fatigue Severity Scale; MiniBEST, Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test; MBI, Modified Barthel Index; MOCA, Montreal Cognitive Assessment; PDQ-39, Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39; PDSS, Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale; RCT, Randomised Controlled Trial; SDS, Self-Rating Depression Scale; SFHS-12, Short Form Health Survey-12; SS180, Standing-Start 180° Turn Test; Tinetti POMA Test, Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment Test; TUG, Timed Up and Go; UPDRS, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale.