THERE was glamour and excitement as Wells hosted a film premiere in July.
There were no Hollywood actors but instead a special group of local stars who all have neurological conditions and have come together through dance to stay active, have fun and support each other.
They belong to Dance 4 Parkinson’s Wells, a unique group established and run by individuals living with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
Sixty people gathered at Wells & Mendip Museum on July 20 to watch the premiere of Dancing the Way – Finding Flow, a dance film created by Dance 4 Parkinson’s Wells.
They were offered the opportunity to make the film as part of a national project, Live Well and Dance with Parkinson’s, run by community dance organisation People Dancing.
Dancing the Way – Finding Flow is a film the group created in collaboration with Somerset Film, Lerato Stanley-Dunn and Richard Tomlinson.
“It tells the story of our journey as a group and how much we love to be creative. Creativity makes us feel better, it builds connections and inspires us to make change,” said Lerato.
“The film was made to inspire others to Live Well and Dance to their full potential.
“The premiere of the film was a joyful, energetic evening. After watching, the group led all the guests in some dancing before enjoying some pizza and wine.”
An audience member who watched the film said: “It’s a beautiful film, the light, the joy, the care they show for each other. It really touched my heart.”
The event was a fundraiser as the group is applying to the National Lottery for a grant to develop its work, and the application will be more successful if it can show match funding.
“We want to develop our existing dance session into a creative hub for people living with Parkinson’s and other neurological conditions,” said group founder Sue Isherwood.
“This hub will foster community, provide peer support and skills development, raise awareness of neurodegenerative conditions, and inspire others to find purpose, be of service, and live boldly.”
Watch the film at https://youtu.be/MdaMYqi48XQ
Donate at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Dance4ParkinsonsWells?utm_term=eapMjbXNk To get in touch with the group, email d4pwells@gmail.com