The Practical Economist

Rafi Eldor dancing with Anna Aharonov
Rafi Eldor dancing with Anna Aharonov
Rafi Eldor is one of Israel’s leading economists. After graduating with a PhD from Harvard, Eldor introduced into the Israeli academia many innovations in the way of teaching economics. He devotedly advocates a hands-on approach which requires students to practice economics and trade and not merely learn about them from the text books. For Eldor this hands-on approach is more than a way of teaching, but a way of life. When Eldor was diagnosed with Parkinson Disease he confronted his condition with the same attitude which he practices in his professional career.

Confronting Parkinson

After being diagnosed with Parkinson, Eldor testifies that he took the news with great pain. After consulting a specialist he decided to turn to sports to confront his condition and contrast its limiting symptoms with movement and physical action. After trying several sportive activities such as Tai-Chi and swimming, Eldor decided to try dancing. Eldor notes in humor that at the time nothing seemed so far apart from his stature as a famous economist than dance, but he enjoyed the popular TV show, “Dancing with Stars”, and decided to give it a try. When he went to the first class his partner told him that they will have to dance for miles in order for Eldor to learn the Cha-Cha dance. But, as he says, he likes challenges, and practice is his middle name. That was the beginning of his journey to become a semi-professional dancer and a source of inspiration for many who confront the Parkinson disease. After some practice not only did Eldor managed to master the art of ballroom dancing while maintaining his job at the academia, but also to confront the symptoms of the Parkinson successfully while beating all specialists’ predictions.

Dance as a Remedy

Dance as a way of confronting the limiting symptoms of Parkinson is supported by extensive research. The logic of it is fitting with Eldor’s attitude towards economics as an academic field, as dance is a hands-on approach to treating Parkinson. While in the past Parkinson patients were only treated with pills and limited physical activities, dance challenges the patient to do everything the condition tends to limit. Parkinson patients’ muscles are often stiff, they find it hard to perform seemingly simple motoric tasks, and many suffer from low morale. Dance is the antithesis of these symptoms. The dancer practices control over his body, and learns how to move accurately according to the rhythm, which exercises the dancer’s body movement and control. He also has to be flexible, which exercises agility. And finally the music, social interaction, and vibrant atmosphere are a great morale-boost for those who are burdened by the disease. Not only do all these merits resonate with Eldor, but many dance institutions now offer special courses designated for Parkinson patients.

Spreading the Word

The unique character of Eldor, a famous economists who managed to confront Parkinson with dance has made him a source of inspiration, as well as a celebrity of sorts. These days, along with his career as a professor, Eldor dedicates himself to spreading the remedy of dance to the wide public. Eldor actively maintains a Facebook page and a blog dedicated to the issue, he regularly performs in dance festivals around the world (often with his famous dance partner Anna Aharonov), and held a TED talk about his personal experience, inspiring others to start dancing.