Can Dance contribute to Physical, Emotional and Social Aspects of the Stroke Patient?

The goal of this study was to analyze whether dance lessons can contribute to physical, emotional and social aspects of a group of stroke patients in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This study is characterized as a case study with a qualitative analysis, that consists of the detailed observation of an individual or context. Four chronic stroke patients, tree male and one female, that had a stroke more than six months before the intervention, ranging in age from 50 to 86 years old, took dance lessons for one hour peer week for a period of three years. The activities used a series of different dance techniques to focus on gait, balance, weight transfer, and bearing and movement of the legs and arms with precision and coordination. Open-ended individual semi-structured interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. The interviews took 90 minutes, were facilitated by dance instructor and started as an informal conversation, which led to specific questions, addressed themes related to participants perception in relation to their body and any changes in physical, social or emotional aspects of their being after dance practice. The participants of this study reported perceived improvement in their physical, emotional and social aspects. Results suggest that dance could be an additional efficient resource for the rehabilitation process of stroke patients.