This is an emotional moment a former ballerina suffering from Alzheimer’s remembers her Swan Lake choreography.
In the viral video, Marta C. Gonzales is sitting in her wheelchair when Tschaikovsky’s Swan Lake starts to play.
The former prima ballerina transformed as the music played, dancing gracefully from her wheelchair as she recognized the sound of Swan Lake.
Ms. Gonzalez, who passed away in 2019, moved her body to the music as it flooded through her. Her hands reenacted the dance routine she had performed on stage in the 1960s.
The heartwarming moment was first shared by the Asociacion Musica para Despertar, a Spanish organization that works with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. The charity also uses music to help improve their memory and mood.
Actor Antonio Banderas shared the video on social media, hoping the emotional clip would serve as “a well-deserved recognition of her art and her passion.”
He added: “53 years ago she was a NYC Ballet dancer. Tchaicovsky’s music managed to mock his Alzheimer’s. It’s been a year since all of this. Now on the occasion of your passing, serve the dissemination of these images as a well deserved recognition of your art and your passion.
“RIP Marta C. Gonzalez.”
After her beautiful performance, Ms. Gonzales was met with a round of applause by people at the care home in Valencia.
The charity said: “The power of music is immeasurable. May she rest in peace.”
In April 2019, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that patients with dementia would benefit from ‘personal playlist.’
“There is increasing evidence suggesting music can bring calm to people with dementia by reducing agitation and supporting those affected to cope better with symptoms,” he added.
“This is the kind of personalised care that I fully endorse as a key part of our NHS long term plan.”
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