Dance-Theatre Production | 2019

“It is a strange cage I find myself trapped in. Yet it is still but a cage. I’m here, the same as ever. But no one heeds me.”

According to medical journal The Lancet, neurological disorders are now the leading source of disability in the world and Parkinson’s Disease is the fastest growing of these.  Over the past generation, the number of individuals with Parkinson’s globally has more than doubled to over 7 million.

Still Dancing is an original production created by social enterprise Movement Mantra and independent theatre company Third Half Theatre to raise awareness about Parkinson’s Disease in the UAE.

Based on the true story of a Parkinson’s Hero, Still Dancing weaves together music, dance and theatre to tell the compelling story of a family.

“While the overarching context of the play is Parkinson’s, at the heart of it, it is the story of a family. A family like yours and mine, with the same hopes and dreams. The play follows their lives, their joys and of course, their hardships. Still Dancing is a portrayal of the struggles and triumphs of the human spirit” – Sanjeev Dixit, Writer & Director

Premiered at The Junction, Alserkal Avenue on 11th April 2019 – World Parkinson’s Day, this community theatre project was and remains the only initiative of its kind in the Middle East to give voice to Parkinson’s Disease.

“Vonita, a dear friend, lost her father to Parkinson’s in 2009. Back then she knew very little about the disease and didn’t know how to help him. 4 years after he passed on, she founded Movement Mantra – the only project of its kind in the region helping people with Parkinson’s and their caregivers. Still Dancing is her story. It is an incredibly moving and inspiring story. I suppose all true stories are. They are also very precious and need to be told sensitively. This was the constant thought when I played Vonita on stage: I am not just an actor; I am the custodian of her story. When you know someone’s story so intimately, you feel responsible for how it is told and represented.”