Move · Videos · Dance · 28 min

Learn the Charleston Seated: Chair Dance Lesson for Parkinson's

Learn the Charleston Seated: Chair Dance Lesson for Parkinson's — video by Power for Parkinsons Play · 27:55

Video by Power for Parkinsons on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Power for Parkinson's dance teacher Nancy Bain gives a seated warm-up and a short history of the Charleston, then teaches its steps in a chair (the basic, the kick, the twist, knee lifts, toe-heel-kick) and dances it to James P. Johnson's music. If you have Parkinson's, check with your doctor first.

  • 28 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • chair
  • Swing

Good forHealthy ageingDancing for funFun workouts

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Step by step 13

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Warm-up: sit forward and tall, then seated sun salutations with big breaths. 0:50
  2. Shoulder lifts and rolls, then loose arm swings to the side, forward and back, and in circles. 2:22
  3. Hold the chair seat for torso circles, a gentle chest twist, then roll down and up through the spine. 3:40
  4. Ankles: flex, point and circle each foot, then heels in and out and small kicks with opposite arms. 5:17
  5. Basic Charleston: touch back, centre, forward, centre, with the arms swinging side to side. 10:21
  6. Add the kick: touch back, centre, kick forward, centre, with swinging arms and a slight forward lean. 12:01
  7. Charleston twist: on the balls of the feet, swivel the heels out and in, lifting each foot a little. 13:58
  8. Harder twist: out and touch forward, out and touch back, with a little bounce. 15:40
  9. Knee lifts with hands crossing, then knees in and out on the 'and' count. 17:33
  10. Toe, heel, kick, step on each side, with hand claps and a circle. 19:25
  11. Put the first part together: shoulders, the basic, the kick, the twists and the knees. 20:25
  12. Dance the whole Charleston to the music. 22:15
  13. Once more at the Charleston's regular, faster tempo. 23:53

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Sit forward with feet and knees hip-width apart and your chin level
  • If the heel twists bother your hips or knees, keep them small
  • If the arms feel tricky, just focus on the steps

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Shoulders movesshoulder rolls, arm swings and circles
  • Upper back movestorso circles, chest twists
  • Lower back movestorso circles, seated roll down and up
  • Hips movesknee lifts, knees in and out, heel twists
  • Knees moveskicks, heel twists
  • Ankles & feet movesankle circles, toe touches, twists on the balls

Easier option from the coach: Keep the heel twists small if they bother the hips or knees; skip the arms

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by Power for Parkinsons; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety