Four minutes is all it takes to learn about the incredible impact dance has made on the lives of local people living with Parkinson’s Disease. You’ll be left in tears and smiles by the end of it, promise.
Cape Town, South Africa (09 September 2026) – There’s this beautiful quote about dancing by Rumi.
“Dance, when you’re broken open. Dance, if you’ve torn the bandage off. Dance in the middle of the fighting. Dance in your blood. Dance when you’re perfectly free.”
The poet tells us not to wait for healing to start living or expressing ourselves. You can move and find spirit even while fighting hard battles or feeling hurt. Dance represents that freedom of letting go, whether you are in deep sorrow or pure joy.
This quote came back to us recently, when we discovered a short documentary, Pass the Pulse, made by South African filmmaker and photographer, Tao Farren-Hefer.
In it, Tao joins a dance class, but by no means an ordinary one.
“I came upon this story in an online article which very lightly touched on the topic, but left me feeling unsatisfied. Reaching out to the local dance class, they were (understandably) extremely private and protective of their participants.” says Tao.
“Once they realised my positive intentions, I was invited to visit without my camera. Thinking I would just be meeting them and watching, I was surprised when I was invited to pull up a chair and join the dance.”
“After the session, the lady next to me turned to me and said: ‘You clearly don’t spend much time dancing, do you?’. I didn’t improve my dance skills, but I did learn a lot about Parkinson’s and the effects of these incredible classes for those who suffer from it.
This short documentary is the distillation of the insight gained in my time with them.”
Mook Lion Brings Leopard to Graeme College in Mural Made With Learners
Dr Siyabonga Khoza Celebrates Reaching 50 Schools and Inspiring Learners to Believe in Their DreamsIt left us in tears, but also, with the biggest smiles.
The film was made as a passion project in Tao’s free time, after he became curious about the story. It features two Dance for Parkinson’s groups – in Pinelands and Kenilworth, in Cape Town.
Dance for Parkinson’s South Africa is a non-profit that was started almost a decade ago by ballet teacher Julie Symmonds. Julie brought the programme back from New York after she attended the official course there, which began in 2001 as a collaboration between Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson’s Group.
The very first South African class took place at the Playhouse Theatre in Somerset West in February 2016.
Over the last 10 years, Julie, along with fellow ballet teacher Carmen Davidson, has trained 28 Dance for Parkinson’s teachers in South Africa and surrounding areas. Classes hosted across the country provide the Parkinson’s community with a life-enhancing movement programme that returns a sense of validation and purpose to their lives.
Tao’s short documentary captures the incredible difference that dance makes in their stories.
The doccie was directed and edited by Tao, who shares credit for the film’s cinematography with Teega Michl. The original music composition is by Shin Suzuma. Credit also goes to colourist Daniel de Villiers, graphic designer Camille de Villiers, and sound engineer Jordan Baas.
Tao shares special thanks with Tamryn Pelser, the teacher of the Dance for Parkinson’s Kenilworth class, who was his first point of contact, and the person whose trust made the film possible.
by 
