How a ballerina is helping research into MS

An American ballerina has given up her career on stage to focus on "ground-breaking" research on multiple sclerosis (MS) in Scotland.

Having worked at the Philadelphia ballet company for six years, Emily Davis moved to Glasgow in 2021 to start a PhD in dance health at Glasgow Caledonian University.

While volunteering at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Ms Davis focused her research on MS in Scotland, which has one of the highest incidence rates of the disease in the world.

Her research in Glasgow will examine how dance classes can help people living with MS.

Ms Davis, 27, said her research was inspired by the English National Ballet's Dance for Parkinson's programme.

She said: "When I looked at dance for other neurological conditions, I found that there were only 13 studies on dance for MS, so there was only limited research in this area, and we are aware of really only a handful of dance programmes around the world.

"We know that movement, especially rhythmic movement like dance, can be really beneficial for movement disorders like Parkinson's disease.

"Scottish Ballet is at the forefront of dance for MS in the UK and globally, so it's been the best place to start."

As part of her PhD research, Ms Davis worked with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (RCS) and Scottish Ballet.

Now in the third year of her PhD research, she is focusing on Scottish Ballet's Elevate classes which aim to support the physical, mental and social wellbeing of people living with MS.

Over 15,000 people in Scotland have multiple sclerosis, a neurological disease which can affect the brain and spinal cord.

Incidences of MS are particularly high in the north of Scotland.

A study of north-east Scotland found the level per 100,000 people in 2009 to be 229 in Aberdeen, 295 in Shetland and 402 in Orkney.

Incidences of MS in England are around 190 per 100,000.

Ms Davis' research paper, Dance for multiple sclerosis - a systematic review, was praised as the sixth most read research paper in the international journal of MS care last year.

Professor Lorna Paul, a rehabilitation expert in allied health science at Glasgow Caledonian University, worked with Ms Davis during her research.

She said: "Emily's ground-breaking research has provided evidence on potential benefits of ballet for people with MS for the first time.

"People with MS can have problems with movement and balance which can be helped with exercise. Ballet is a form of physical activity which may be more expressive, fun and with a stronger social component than traditional forms of rehabilitation.

"Emily's PhD has been the catalyst for the successful collaboration between Glasgow Caledonian, RCS and Scottish Ballet, and this collaboration will continue to grow and strengthen thanks to Emily's work."