UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE MUSEUMS
Museum Encounters: Parkinson's Dance Course
Cambridge Museums launch ground-breaking Parkinson's dance programme inspired by museum artefacts
By Jessica Keating
On the day we mark World Parkinson's Day, University of Cambridge Museums (UCM) is proud to announce the launch of the pioneering Museum Encounters: Parkinson’s Dance Course with three six-week programmes planned for 2025-2026.
From Darwin’s letters and ancient armour to tree specimens and ghost nets, each week curators from across Cambridge’s museums will take carefully selected objects from their collections and share their stories with participants. This in turn sparks the movement, dance and imagination that shape that week’s two-hour session.
It's believed to be the only initiative of its kind in the UK that invites people living with Parkinson’s to take part in dance sessions inspired directly by museum artefacts.
The result is a powerful fusion of cultural discovery, creative expression, and personalised support, designed to enhance the physical and emotional wellbeing of those living with Parkinson’s.
Following two successful pilots in 2024, the Encounters course will officially launch with Summer, Autumn, and Winter terms, offering free six-week sessions at Cambridge Junction—an inclusive space accessible for those living with the neurological condition.
Sessions are led by Cambridge-based dance artist and creative practitioner Filipa Pereira-Stubbs, in collaboration with UCM’s Inclusion Associate and programme producer Ruth Clarke, whose vision for fusing collections and care has earned international recognition.
“We know that creative engagement can dramatically improve wellbeing,” says Ruth Clarke. “This programme responds to a societal challenge with empathy, creativity, and imagination—connecting people with themselves, each other, and the stories within our museum collections.”
The museum artefacts provide learning and inspiration that evoke memories and new interpretations that feed into group reflection, storytelling and guided movement.
Ruth Clarke, UCM’s Inclusion Associate and programme producer
Ruth Clarke, UCM’s Inclusion Associate and programme producer
“We work with the imagination, with curiosity, with joy,” explains Filipa Pereira-Stubbs. “Participants are invited to move in a way that works for them—seated or standing—building strength, confidence, and connection through dance inspired by the museum stories we explore together.”
In the 2024 pilots, 90% of participants reported feeling “very much better” after taking part, with many highlighting the rare combination of physical movement, intellectual stimulation, and emotional connection as key to the course’s impact.
The pilot welcomed 22 participants, ranging from early to late-stage diagnosis. Participants described the experience as “stimulating mind and body,” and “unlike anything I’ve ever done before.”
One participant shared: “It took my mind off Parkinson’s—and that’s wonderful,” while another remarked, “I loved learning and dancing! Connecting with people and meeting new friends—it was a delight.”
Filipa Pereira-Stubbs, the programme's dance leader and creative practitioner
Filipa Pereira-Stubbs, the programme's dance leader and creative practitioner
Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition globally, with around 153,000 people living with Parkinson’s in the UK. There is currently no cure for the progressive condition which affects movement, balance, and emotional wellbeing. There are over 40 symptoms of Parkinson’s but the three main symptoms are a tremor, slowness of movement and muscle stiffness.
Crucially, Encounters offers a rare blend of cognitive and physical stimulation, designed to meet the diverse needs of people at different stages of Parkinson’s. The structure supports safe participation regardless of mobility or previous experience, and the museum narratives offer fresh entry points for connection and creativity.
“This isn’t just about dance,” continues Clarke. “It’s about restoring agency and joy—offering people something to look forward to, and a new way of relating to their condition, their companions, and their city.”
Museum Encounters: Parkinson’s Dance Course is part of the wider movement toward social prescribing, a key component of NHS personalised care. Social prescribing enables GPs, link workers, and other health professionals to refer people to non-medical activities that improve health and wellbeing.
By offering meaningful, creative engagement rooted in community and culture, the programme aligns with NHS goals to support people in managing long-term conditions like Parkinson’s in a holistic, empowering way.
Professor Roger Barker, Professor of Clinical Neuroscience and Honorary Consultant in Neurology at the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke's Hospital, and a Principal Investigator at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute has lent his support to the programme:
"This is such a great idea as there is much interest in the effects of dance on Parkinson's and the benefits it can bring. Such initiatives as this are so exciting and innovative and I am sure will be enjoyed by many people living with Parkinson's."
Professor James Rowe, Director of Cambridge Centre for Frontotemporal Dementia and Related Disorders, and Professor of Cognitive Neurology at Addenbrooke's Hospital also adds:
“Dance is unlike other movement - the ability to dance, and to feel physically and emotionally uplifted through dance, can outsmart the effect of Parkinson’s on other movements. And what better way to benefit from our community and cultural heritage in the museums. This is a brilliant initiative.“
With only a handful of similar programmes known to exist worldwide, and none believed to exist in the UK, Encounters positions Cambridge at the forefront of inclusive, creative health intervention for the local population. It is a testament to the power of collaboration between arts, science, and community.
Programme dates for 2025-26
Summer Term: 2 May – 4 July 2025
Autumn Term: 3 Oct – 19 Dec 2025
Winter Term: 6 Feb – 30 March 2026
Selected Fridays, 10:30am–12pm at Cambridge Junction
Booking for Summer Term is open
To find out more visit: https://www.museums.cam.ac.uk/events/museum-encounters-parkinsons-dance-course-summer-2025
To book a place, email: info@museums.cam.ac.uk
The text in this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Date: 11 April 2025
Story and design: Jessica Keating
Photography credits:
- Dancing images: Ruth Clarke
- Ruth Clarke headshot: KJ Martin
Video credit: Jocelyn Murdoch / Andrea Ibayan / Peter Harmer
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