How Tango Helps Parkinson’s Patients Dance Again

In Buenos Aires, Argentina, doctors and therapists are turning to tango as an innovative form of therapy for Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder that often causes tremors, stiffness, and difficulty walking.

At Ramos Mejia Hospital, more than 200 patients over the last 15 years have joined tango workshops where the dance’s unique rhythm and movement are used to retrain the brain and body.

Neurologists explain that tango, often called a “walking dance,” helps patients practice starting and stopping steps, improving balance, and overcoming the sudden motor “freezes” that can stop them in their tracks.

Patients describe how mimicking the figure-eight footwork of tango can help them break through these freezes, while therapists emphasize that the music and structured steps create new sensory pathways that assist with mobility.

Beyond the physical benefits, the workshops also help combat the social isolation and depression that Parkinson’s often brings, giving patients community, joy, and emotional resilience.