Dancing with multiple sclerosis

: a multidimensional and multiple case study

Abstract

Dance health is a fast-developing field of practice and research focused on understanding the role of dance in enhancing physical, mental, and social well-being, both for general populations and individuals with specific health conditions. While the evidence base around dance for people with Parkinson’s is well-established, research on dance for other health conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), is limited. As is known, this is the first thesis to focus on understanding the phenomenon of dancing with MS.

Unlike most prior dance for MS studies that have adopted medically-oriented, positivist, quantitative designs, the current research employs an interdisciplinary, critical realist, primarily qualitative methodology to 1) explore the health and well-being experiences of participant dancers with MS and 2) examine the factors affecting the impact and implementation of dance for MS programmes in different contexts. Using a case study approach, the research examines Scottish Ballet’s dance for MS programme, SB Elevate®, in two distinct contexts: Glasgow and Orkney. Data collection in both cases primarily involved semi-structured interviews, with the Glasgow case also drawing on observations, questionnaires, and a co-designed dance-based method of inquiry, movement interviews.

The findings indicate dance provides a valuable well-being resource for dancers with MS by fostering a sense of joy, purpose, and community. The study also illustrates the relational nature of the well-being experience, being shaped by people, place, and their interconnections within SB Elevate®. Proactive participants, interpersonal supports, responsive programming dynamics, and supportive community infrastructure emerged as key factors for enabling effective implementation, aligning the programme with participants’ preferences and local contexts. This research highlights the health-promoting potential of SB Elevate®, fostered by the interplay between the programme’s supportive environment and the dancers’ active commitment to well-being.

Date of Award	30 Jun 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of St Andrews Royal Conservatoire of Scotland GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY
Supervisor	Bethany Whiteside (Supervisor) & Lorna Paul (Supervisor)