You’d need a heart of stone not to be moved by this former ballerina with dementia, reliving Swan Lake when she hears the music
There is a a lot of evidence of the restorative power of music, albeit temporary, on people with many forms of dementia.
In 2019, a charity in Valencia, Asociacion Musica para Despertar – Association of Music for Awakening – played Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake to Alzheimer’s patient and former prima ballerina Marta Cinta González Saldaña.
Watch the effect it had on her.
The ballerina that she had been came to the fore once more. Absolutely stunning.
Although Marta passed away shortly after the video was recorded, the clip went viral on Twitter/X in 2024, setting off all kinds of emotional responses.
NYC Prima Ballerina with Alzheimer’s listens to Swan Lake and it all comes back.
The most beautiful video you’ll see today. pic.twitter.com/zaIT9KpXJH
— Restoring Your Faith in Humanity (@HumanityChad) September 4, 2024
Here are some of them.
1.
Oh… my… GOD. This former star ballerina's transformation at 27 seconds hit her as hard as it hit me.
I've never seen anything so beautiful in my life.pic.twitter.com/4GYhwTMTBe
— CALL TO ACTIVISM (@CalltoActivism) September 4, 2024
2.
— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) September 4, 2024
3.
After a lifetime of training her body to tell stories perhaps her body memory was activated by the music. Ballerinas are truly hardcore. https://t.co/nqB1t5wN5s
— Mary Caulfield @susanthesilent.bsky.social (@SusanTheSilent) September 4, 2024
4.
Yeah this makes me cry everytime I see it
— LocoTacoTx (@locotx_ftw_2002) September 4, 2024
5.
I will never stop shouting about the miracle that is music therapy.
And if you're moved/impressed by this video, watch the Documentary "Alive Inside – A Story of Music and Memory" from 2014.
Read Musicophilia: Tales of Music and The Brain by Oliver Sacks.
Music is MAGIC. https://t.co/PugOBv7T5Z
— Amanda (@EruditeElf) September 4, 2024
6.
Art is energy. https://t.co/Y8mvCmkdgm
— Trevor Cole (@trevor_cole) September 4, 2024
7.
The human spirit is unmatched https://t.co/7MB9pSZolq
— Domenico Salvaggio (@DomSalvaggio) September 4, 2024
8.
I worked in Dementia for over 25 yrs. I have seen people who cannot speak listen to a song and all of a sudden sing every single word of the song as soon as the song stops they go back to being unable to talk. The power of music must trigger a part of the brain that can kick into…
— jules (@juloof1) September 4, 2024
9.
This is stunningly beautiful.
— Dana Goldberg (@DGComedy) September 4, 2024
This is worth remembering.
Amazing & joyful. The part where the young man takes her hand & kisses it is perfect too. So many older people lack the touch of kindness to feel human, a simple act of kindness that means more than many can envisage to the lady locked in her every hell. ❤️❤️❤️
— Teri Holtz (@MOB51) September 4, 2024
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Source The Alzheimer’s Research Association Image Screengrab