Kinetics - Where Parkinson's Meets Parkour

A teacher who has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and a wayward student who has discovered Parkour are at the heart of a new film coming out this fall. Sue Wylie based the characters and story on her own experiences after she was diagnosed with Parkinson's. She wrote it first as a play and then, after the success of their performances, she began considering the possibility of creating a film, which would allow her story to reach a much larger audience. To give a teaser, here is a link to the trailer for the play: KINETICS.

Kinetics - where Parkinson's meets Parkour is a story about the desire to move through and past the obstacles in our path. In Parkour, the challenges are taken on voluntarily and consciously; getting past the obstacle on the path is the whole point. For those of us who have been diagnosed with Parkinson's, these challenges are not taken on voluntarily. Parkinson's disease is the obstacle we try to move through every day. When part of the sidewalk in front of me has been broken and pushed up by a tree root. I might not be as fast or as graceful as a freerunner, but getting over it, I can feel a sense of accomplishment as though I had leapt tall buildings with a single bound.

One of my former students is now doing Parkour. He's made quite a name for himself. Dylan Baker is not only really, really good, but he seems to have no problem with heights, dashing across narrow beams 50 ft in the air as if they were setting on the ground. I enjoy watching Parkour as I enjoy watching dance, gymnastics, and, well... any kind of movement accomplished with the human body. Perhaps it's because movement can be difficult for me, but it might be something more. I haven't seen this film yet, but I suspect we'll see that getting past obstacles on our path has to do with more than just our physical obstacles. 

I am so looking forward to seeing this film and sharing it with my family and friends.