The healing power of dance

For Terry Dinan, the decision to support JMU’s Dance for PD program began not with a gift, but with a memory.

She remembers watching her mother, Ann Dinan, who lived with Parkinson’s disease until her passing on January 3, 2020, navigate the illness, revealing just how challenging Parkinson’s can be—not only physically and mentally, but emotionally for the entire family.

While living in Buffalo, Terry’s parents participated in a Parkinson’s dance program that became a bright light in a difficult time. The experience helped Ann maintain better control of her body movements and, just as importantly, brought moments of fun, joy, and connection. It also provided meaningful emotional support for both of Terry’s parents.

Remembering that impact, Terry felt strongly that others battling this disease deserve the same opportunity. This past year, Terry sponsored the Dance for PD training of two JMU student volunteers, Haley Tabor and Lauren Clingenpeel. Through a substantial gift to the JMU Dance for Parkinson’s Program fund, she covered their travel expenses as Haley and Lauren are now on track to complete their advanced training in Brooklyn, New York, this upcoming June.

“I would not have been able to do this wonderful experience of getting certified without the help of these people and these scholarships. I have been able to grow into a new aspect of dance that I didn’t think I was capable of doing. And it has brought so much love into my life,” said Haley.

Prior to sponsoring Haley and Lauren, Terry first became aware of the Harrisonburg Dance for PD program through her friend, Kate Trammell, a dance professor at JMU who pursued PD dance instructor training after two of Kate’s close friends developed Parkinson’s. That personal dedication resonated deeply with Terry, strengthening her desire to support the initiative. Knowing that Kate was building something like what Terry encountered in Buffalo that meant so much to her own parents, made the decision to give an easy one.

“Each week, our student volunteers build powerful relationships while sharing their love of dance.  When you sponsor a student for training expenses, you empower a joyful intergenerational exchange that brings warmth and smiles to all involved,” Kate said.

In Terry’s view, programs like Dance for PD are profoundly important because Parkinson’s can be a terrible and lonely disease. As it progresses, it often robs individuals of the ability to move as they wish and can affect mental and emotional health as well. The impact extends beyond the individual to the entire family.

What makes the dance program so powerful, Terry believes, is its unique blend of effective movement therapy and joyful community. Participants do more than exercise—they connect. In Ann’s class, families got to know one another. They danced, laughed, acted silly, shared their stories, and supported each other.

“It doesn’t cure the disease,” Terry reflects, “but it can slow the physical effects and lighten the heavy load it places on both those living with Parkinson’s and the people who love them.”

Terry hopes that Lauren and Haley’s training will help make the PD dance program more widely available throughout Harrisonburg and the broader JMU community. Terry’s vision is simple and heartfelt: that everyone living with Parkinson’s will have the chance to benefit from a program like the one that meant so much to Terry’s parents.

“I feel grateful and honored to receive this scholarship to pursue my love for dance and giving back to the community. My time engaging with the Dance for PD program is fulfilling and inspiring for all aspects of my life, and connecting with the participants is the highlight of my week,” said Lauren.

Trained instructors are essential to sustaining and expanding the program, and travel costs for training can be a barrier for students eager to help. By sponsoring Haley and Lauren’s training through the Lloyd Mast Dance for Parkinson’s Disease Endowment, Terry is helping to ensure this work continues for years to come. She admires Haley and Lauren’s commitment to bringing a joyful and supportive experience to individuals living with Parkinson’s.

“I have found something I want to do for the rest of my life in some shape or form. To say this was a gift beyond belief is an understatement because it has been a lifeline for me throughout a difficult college experience,” Haley added.

Most of all, this effort is a way for Terry to honor her mother’s life. Through Terry’s generosity and compassion, Ann’s legacy continues—one dance class, one family, and one moment of joy at a time.

For more information on JMU’s Dance for PD program, please visit https://www.jmu.edu/arts/ocp/programs/community-programs/dance_for_parkinsons.shtml.

Want to help? Please consider donating to the JMU Day for PD fund: https://give.jmu.edu/campaigns/50710/donations/new?designation=a2hpd000000nvhumag 

Why giving matters:
Each year two exceptional student volunteers in the JMU Dance for PD program are selected to receive training in the Dance for PD method. Their tuition for the curriculum (an online course and two in-person workshops) is funded by the Lloyd Mast Dance for PD Endowment, established by Donna Mast in honor of her late husband, who was very committed to the students who assisted in his weekly classes. Travel costs for the training sequence can be prohibitive, which is where sponsorship comes in. Terry’s donation to the JMU Dance for Parkinson’s account ensures that Lauren and Haley have support for housing, meals, and transportation while completing their Dance for PD coursework. We are now seeking sponsors to help the 2025-26 Lloyd Mast Endowment scholarship Recipients. First-year dance majors Claire Rumuly and Samantha Wilhelm will begin their coursework in Baltimore this spring and continue in Brooklyn in June. - Kate Trammell