NEW LONDON, Conn. -- The Connecticut Parkinson's Working Group is offering a free dance class at Connecticut College that helps treat a debilitating disease step by step.

The class aims to help people with Parkinson's disease, a neurological disorder that gradually robs patients of their abilities to make even the most basic of movements.

Though the disease limits patients' abilities to move, researchers have now realized there's a difference between the kind of automatic movement these patients have problems with -- such as keeping their hands still -- and the kind of movement they have to think about -- like dance.

"Their automatic movement is inhibited, but their conscious movement is very powerful, very strong, which is why dance is so good with symptoms, because if they're being mindful of their movements, it comes with more ease," instructor Rachel Balaban said.

The point of the class is to get everyone to feel less inhibited and to feel comfortable with moving again. It also aims to get everyone to interact with one another.

Former dancer Susan Clarke said the dances -- from Afro-Caribbean to the twist and everything in between -- come easy to her, but not as easy as they once did.

"Nothing like I used to do, but it's rewarding," she said.

Even though patients Parkinson's disease often have a tough time making their jaw muscles smile, Balaban said she sees a lot of grins.

A new study conducted at Washington University in St. Louis also proves that the class may be onto something. The study found that people with Parkinson's who dance don't have as many symptoms as even patients who do some sort of conventional exercise.

The Connecticut Parkinson's Working Group, all members of which suffer from Parkinson's disease, also sponsors a free dance class at Vinnie's Jump'n'Jive in Middletown for people with Parkinson's. The group, which is the only one of its kind in the country, raised the funds on its own to pay for the classes.

For more information about the CPWG, visit its Web site.