Rewired in Motion: Translating Dance-Based Neurorehabilitation into Clinical Practice

Speaker:

• Meg Nielsen, OTD, OTR/L

Learner Outcomes:

1. Describe the theoretical foundations and evidence supporting dance-based interventions in adult neurorehabilitation.
2. Identify how Patterns of Total Body Connectivity and movement-based strategies can support motor learning, balance, and occupational participation.
3. Apply practical strategies for incorporating evidence-informed dance and movement principles into clinical interventions and home exercise programs for adults with neurological conditions.

Abstract:

Adults with neurological conditions often experience impairments in balance, coordination, postural control, and movement confidence that limit participation in meaningful occupations. While home exercise programs remain a cornerstone of neurorehabilitation, adherence is often limited because traditional exercises can become repetitive, difficult to personalize, and disconnected from meaningful activities. Dance-based movement offers an engaging, evidence-informed approach to promote motor learning, neuroplasticity, and occupational participation while enhancing motivation for continued practice.

Rewired in Motion is an evidence-informed, dance-based neurorehabilitation framework developed during a doctoral capstone at Mayo Clinic Phoenix. Grounded in occupational therapy principles, neuroplasticity research, somatic movement education, and Laban Movement Analysis, the program integrates Patterns of Total Body Connectivity to support functional movement through rhythmic, purposeful movement. Supported by an Arizona Occupational Therapy Association grant, the program expanded to include patient education materials, instructional videos, and a digital platform that promotes home exercise participation and continuity of care.

This interactive presentation will translate current evidence into clinical practice through movement demonstrations, clinical case examples, and implementation strategies. Participants will actively engage in a brief guided movement experience to explore how rhythm, creative movement, and graded activities facilitate motor learning, body awareness, and occupational engagement. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to incorporate evidence-informed movement into occupational therapy practice and home exercise programming.

 

 

Biography of Speaker(s)

Meg Nielsen, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist who will begin the Physical Rehabilitation Fellowship at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, in fall 2026. She earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Creighton University. During her doctoral capstone at Mayo Clinic, she developed Rewired in Motion, an evidence-informed dance-based neurorehabilitation program designed to promote motor learning, neuroplasticity, and occupational participation for adults with neurological conditions. Supported by an Arizona Occupational Therapy Association grant, she expanded the program through patient education resources, instructional videos, and a digital platform to support home exercise participation. Drawing on her background in dance, she integrates movement principles with occupational therapy to develop creative, evidence-informed rehabilitation approaches. Her clinical interests include neurologic rehabilitation, vestibular rehabilitation, and innovative, occupation-centered interventions. She is passionate about translating emerging evidence into resources that enhance patient engagement and advance occupational therapy practice.

 

References to Support Evidence-Based Practice:

Aldana-Benítez, D., Caicedo-Pareja, M. J., Sánchez, D. P., & Ordoñez-Mora, L. T. (2023). Dance as a neurorehabilitation strategy: A systematic review. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 35, 348– 363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.046

Bruyneel, A. V., Pourchet, T., & Reinmann, A. (2023). Dance after stroke improves motor recovery in the subacute phase: A randomized controlled trial. Heliyon, 9(11), e22275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22275

Hackney, M. E., Burzynska, A. Z., & Ting, L. H. (2024). The cognitive neuroscience and neurocognitive rehabilitation of dance. BMC Neuroscience, 25(1), 58. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12868-024-00906-8

Wu, C. C., Xiong, H. Y., Zheng, J. J., & Wang, X. Q. (2022). Dance movement therapy for neurodegenerative diseases: A systematic review. Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, 14, 975711. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2022.975711