Dancing to a Different Tune

On a hot summer afternoon in Paramiliar rhythm of a 1970s Bollywood song echoes through the brightly lit Avartan Dance Foundation studio. Inside, a dozen elderly men and womensome with trembling hands, others slow on their feet-are smiling, swaying, and matching their movements to the beat.

- SUHAIL BHAT

This dance class is more than just movementit's a place where people with Parkinson's find freedom, strength, and joy beyond their daily challenges.

At the heart of this effort is Hrishikesh Pawar, the Artistic Director of the Centre for Contemporary Dance in Pune. "Dance transformed me for the better, and I wanted others to feel that joy," says Pawar. "When I first learned about Dance for Parkinson's in London in 2004, I knew this could be life-changing back home. So I adapted it for India-its languages, music, and culture." He launched the programme in Pune 15 years ago with a single class. Today, it reaches hundreds across the country and even Germany. "It doesn't feel like therapy-it feels like a celebration," smiles Pawar.