NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The New Orleans Ballet Association (NOBA) announces the continuation of the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust Dance for Parkinson’s Program, now entering its sixth year of free, ongoing creative movement classes, open to people with Parkinson’s or other similar mobility challenges, as well as family members, caregivers and friends. Over the past five years, since its inception in 2017, the program has reached a total attendance of over 6,000 people through free, specialized, ongoing weekly classes and special outreach activities that empower people with Parkinson’s to creatively explore movement and live music, all in a safe, welcoming and fun environment. The program has continued to blossom and gain recognition locally, statewide and nationally by Parkinson’s medical professionals, support groups and organizations, and reaches community members of all ages through sample classes and special presentations at local support groups as well as during special advocacy events and conferences.
“Our mission is to help other tax-exempt organizations with their mission of helping others. Dance for Parkinson’s classes are designed specifically to help individuals that suffer from Parkinson’s disease, and we hope that this helps give these individuals a better quality of life,” said trustees of the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust Vincent Giardina and Lisa Romano.
These free classes are offered in-person on Mondays in Metairie and Wednesdays Uptown from 10:30-11:45 a.m. Classes are ongoing on a drop-in basis, and new participants may join at any time.
Between October 2022 – April 2023, supported in part by a Healthy Parkinson’s CommunitiesTM community grant from the Davis Phinney Foundation, NOBA’s Championing Movement Parkinson’s Project has presented special movement and Parkinson’s informational workshops for nearly 400 people in nine Southeast Louisiana communities including: Reserve, Ormond, Covington, Morgan City, Gonzales, Thibodaux, East Baton Rouge, Bogalusa and at the VIET New Orleans Community Center in New Orleans East, with additional events scheduled.
In addition, NOBA offers ongoing tuition-free dance, wellness and arts healing classes for children and adults ages 4-80+, as well as a Main Stage Series of world-class dance performances. For more information about NOBA programming, class schedules and performances, please visit www.nobadance.com or call 504.522.0996. Find NOBA on Facebook and follow @nobadance on Instagram.
DANCE FOR PARKINSON’S LOCATIONS AND CLASSES
In-person Classes:
Mondays*, 10:30-11:45 a.m., at Pontiff Gym, Rm 3, 1521 Palm St. (Metairie)
Wednesdays, 10:30-11:45 a.m., at New Orleans JCC, 5342 St. Charles Ave. (Uptown)
Pre-register onsite during class times, or online in advance HERE.
*During the months of June and July, Monday morning Metairie classes will take place at Miley Gym, located at Mike Miley Playground Gym, 6716 W Metairie Ave. (Metairie). No class on May 29
NOBA Dance for Parkinson’s classes and activities are sponsored by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust. NOBA Championing Movement workshops are supported in part by a Healthy Parkinson’s CommunitiesTM community grant from the Davis Phinney Foundation.
Please contact Millette White Lin with questions or for assistance at 504-522-0996, ext. 213, or by e-mail at mwhite@nobadance.com.
