Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a structured ballet-based intervention on non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Background: Dance-based exercise programmes may improve motor and non-motor outcomes in PD, but robust evidence from randomised controlled trials remains limited1.
Method: PD-BalletTM was a single-blind, parallel-group randomised controlled trial in which participants were allocated 2:1 to a ballet-based exercise programme delivered by the English National Ballet or standard care2, 3. The intervention comprised 12 sessions over 13 weeks. The primary outcome was change in non-motor symptom burden measured using the Movement Disorder Society Non-Motor Rating Scale (MDS-NMS) total score. Secondary outcomes included apathy (Apathy Scale), mood and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and quality of life (PDQ-8). Linear mixed-effects models were used under the intention-to-treat principle. Per-protocol analyses explored outcomes among participants attending ≥75% of sessions.
Results: Seventy-seven participants were randomised (intervention n=53; standard care n=24), with 95% retention. No significant group-by-time interaction was observed for total MDS-NMS scores. A significant interaction was detected for apathy (β=–4.13, SE=1.46, p=0.007; Cohen’s d=–0.76), reflecting reduced apathy in the intervention group compared with worsening in standard care. Per-protocol analyses (n=37) demonstrated significant improvements in apathy, HADS total score and quality of life (p<0.05) among adherent participants. No treatment-related serious adverse events occurred.
Conclusion: A structured ballet-based intervention produced clinically meaningful improvements in apathy in people with PD. However, no significant effects were observed on overall non-motor symptom burden. Greater benefits in adherent participants suggest that intervention dose may be important. These findings support further investigation of dance-based exercise for motivational and affective symptoms in PD.
References: 1. Carapellotti AM, Stevenson R, Doumas M. The efficacy of dance for improving motor impairments, non-motor symptoms, and quality of life in Parkinson’s disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE 2020;15:e0236820.
2. Podlewska AM, Batzu L, Soukup T, et al. The PD-Ballet study: study protocol for a randomised controlled single-blind hybrid type 2 clinical trial evaluating the effects of ballet dancing on motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease. BMC Complement Med Ther 2024;24:41.
3. Houston S, McGill A. A mixed-methods study into ballet for people living with Parkinson’s. Arts Health 2013;5:103-119.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
A. Podlewska, L. Batzu, P. Tall, A. Hartley, A. Woods, C. Pariante, F. Derbyshire-Fox, I. Bakolis, J. Staunton, M. Uribe Mz-Recaman, N. Sevdalis, T. Soukup, V. Leta, A. Woods, D. Fancourt, D. van Wamelen. Effects of a Ballet-Based Intervention on Apathy and Non-Motor Symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease: the PD-BalletTM Randomised Controlled Trial [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2026; 41 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-a-ballet-based-intervention-on-apathy-and-non-motor-symptoms-in-parkinsons-disease-the-pd-ballettm-randomised-controlled-trial/. Accessed October 1, 2026.« Back to 2026 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-a-ballet-based-intervention-on-apathy-and-non-motor-symptoms-in-parkinsons-disease-the-pd-ballettm-randomised-controlled-trial/