THE Challenge Vol. 12 Iss. 2 Research

Dancing Well:
The Soldier
Project
By Diane Schirmer, Brain Injury Association of Kentucky
How many times have you found yourself lost
in a song or melody, completely forgetting
what you’re doing, why your head hurts, and
how you were feeling to begin with?
Edwin O. Walker, M.D., psychiatrist at the Veterans
Administration Hospital in Fort Knox, Kentucky,
always searched for new ways to help his soldiers and
their families with their physical and emotional pain.
He knew music could dispel his own aches and pains,
and he had seen improvements in a patient’s mood
and memory after learning to play the guitar. He
began to wonder if music could help other soldiers
and their families, too.
To test his theory, Dr. Walker invited Deborah
Denenfeld, a seasoned dancer and dance instructor,
to the VA. They asked a specific group of veterans and
their loved ones to participate in a dance series. The
goal was to identify some veterans whose lives had
been impacted by the devastating effects of PTSD and
brain injury and to integrate them with volunteer
dancers in community dance, a type of group dancing
with a caller who announces each dance move. It is
always accompanied by live, joyful music.
At the end of the series, the soldiers reported that,
not only did they enjoy the dance, but they saw
improvements in memory, mood, and overall outlook.
They also reported reduced anxiety and physical
pain. Additionally, the experience had a profound
impact on couples. Everyone reported improved
relationships with their loved ones.
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