Dubai: Gulshan Narang from India is a natural when it comes to dance. His YouTube channel Khul Ke Naacho (Dance without Inhibitions) is a huge hit with his followers. But talk to him – and some of his ardent fans – and you will realise that there’s more to his movement than meets the eye.
“You see, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease when I was just 36 years old,” he tells Gulf News ahead of World Parkinson’s Day on April 11. Belying the daily struggles he faced ever since, he has emerged as a proud Parkinson’s warrior today, seeking to dance his – and other patients’ - woes away.
“As we know, Parkinson’s is a brain condition that affects body movement and mental health, besides other parameters. And it just keeps getting worse, with no cure, only medications to manage the symptoms,” Narang says matter-of-factly.
He recalls how he experienced his first symptoms during a stage dance performance at a community cultural event in Dubai when he was 36 years old. “My hands were quivering and it was a strange sensation. I could feel something was wrong in my left thumb and left side of the body,” he says.
The General Practitioner he visited in Bur Dubai, who suspected an early onset of Parkinson’s, referred him to a specialist who confirmed his worst fears.
“My whole world fell apart,” says Gulshan, a businessman dealing with corporate gifts at the time. “I realised I had only two options - to cray and allow the uncurable disease devour me as quickly as it possibly could or do what I could in my capacity to fight it.”
He chose the second option and nearly two decades later, is still able to pursue his passion with dance, even while trying to make a difference.
Narang’s stage is fraught with challenges. There is no escaping the symptoms that can still crop up at times, when the Dopamine levels in the body go down. His memory too can get affected at times. But with sheer perseverance and positivity, he dances on.
In a rare story of empowerment, Narang has turned his passion for dance into a form of therapy and expression. He focuses on steps that help improve coordination and bring a sense of joy and energy to himself and his followers. Some 30 of them are Parkinson’s patients based in the UAE and India.
Building an online community for fellow Parkinson’s warriors has brought him much satisfaction. “It has inspired me to do more in this field. It has enabled me to work on other projects like a short film titled ‘Life with Parkinson’s’ which sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals living with this condition. Recently, I also created a new video and short film related to Parkinson’s Disease. In addition, I am also engaged in wedding choreography and special dances for children,” he shares.
Narang credits much of his success to his family. “My wife, a reality show winner and former restaurateur, has stood by me like a pillar. And so has my son,” he points out.
“My situation notwithstanding, I feel very grateful with what I have and what I can do. It’s a feeling I want to share with other patients too – it’s never too late to start dancing, laughing and feeling good,” he adds.
