When the music begins, Lidia Beltran, a Parkinson's disease patient, let's go of her physical struggles. Holding onto her therapist, she moves with grace and precision. This is part of a special program in Buenos Aires that uses tango to help people with Parkinson's. For over 15 years, around 200 patients have participated in these workshops to see how dancing affects their symptoms. Parkinson’s is an age-related degenerative brain condition that causes parts of your braint to deteriorate. It weakens the nerve cells in some parts of your brain and causes it to become damaged. Which means things like maintaining your posture, cramped or small handwriting etc. How Tango Can Help Parkinson’s Diseases Media reports explain a neurologist Nelida Garretto says that a big problem for people with Parkinson's is trouble walking. She explains that since tango is a walking dance, it helps patients practice important movements like starting and stopping. Other experts note that the results have been very good. Many patients find ways to manage their symptoms, like the sudden "freezing" that makes their feet feel stuck. One patient found that doing a "figure eight" with her feet could help her get out of a freeze. According to Arakaki, dancing creates a "sensory pathway" in the brain that helps with walking While medication is a necessary part of Parkinson's treatment, tango acts as a form of physical therapy. Arakaki believes that music and dance help people move past difficult physical moments. Lidia Beltran, 66, was diagnosed with Parkinson's two years ago and had never danced tango before. She joined the program on her doctor's advice, hoping it would slow the disease's progression. Beyond the physical improvements, the dance workshop also helps with the social isolation and sadness that often come with the disease. Beltran says that dancing boosts her stability and her mood. She feels that after dancing, she will have a better day. How Does Dance Help With Parkinson’s According to a 2024 study published in the Scientific Reports, while medications for Parkinson's disease (PD) can help with many movement issues, they don't always address other symptoms, like thinking problems or balance issues. Because of this, doctors are looking for other treatments to use alongside medication. In a new study, researchers looked at two different types of activities to see if they could help with Parkinson's symptoms: Argentine tango and physical therapy. Specialists say tango is effective because it is more than just a dance; it requires the brain to do many things at once. Dancers must: Walk in a specific way.Keep up with the music's rhythm.Respond to their partner's movements. The 2024 study followed 24 patients with Parkinson's over four months. Half of them took part in tango classes twice a week, and the other half had group physical therapy twice a week. Both groups were tested before and after to see how their symptoms had changed. Improved Balance and Motor Skills Both groups saw similar improvements in their motor skills, especially with balance, both when standing still and when moving. The physical activities helped stabilize their overall abilities and slow down the disease's progression. Better Thinking Skills Both groups also improved on a test that measures "action naming," which is a type of cognitive skill. Tango's Unique Benefit The most interesting finding was that only the tango group showed a significant improvement in recognizing emotions on people's faces. This suggests that tango might help with certain social and emotional skills in a way that regular physical therapy does not.