Museum Encounters - dance for Parkinson's

Museum Encounters – Parkinson’s Dance Programme
This innovative programme offers free six-week dance courses for people living with Parkinson’s, co-created with participants and led by a specialist dance artist. Sessions are hosted at Cambridge Junction, with a different museum collection providing the creative stimulus for each session.

Each session begins with close engagement with objects, artworks, and stories from the University of Cambridge Museums, which then inspire guided movement, creativity, and shared reflection.

By combining cultural engagement, physical activity, and social connection, Museum Encounters provides a supportive and accessible environment for participants and their companions, whether seated or standing.

The programme is believed to be one of the first of its kind in the UK, uniquely linking dance directly to museum collections. It is designed to enhance physical confidence, emotional wellbeing, and a sense of connection, aligning with wider approaches such as social prescribing and creative health.

As part of the University of Cambridge Museums’ broader commitment to inclusion, Museum Encounters demonstrates how museums can act as spaces not just for learning, but for care, creativity, and community wellbeing.