Gaia Forlani

About Gaia Forlani

“I’ve been given the incredible gift of movement; now, my mission is to give it to those who are losing it.” People call me 'The Parkinson Coach.’ And here is why: movement has been the foundation of my life since I was four years old. I trained as a professional ballet dancer with the world’s best, from La Scala in Milan to the Royal Ballet in London. Dance wasn’t just my passion—it was my identity. But when I suffered a career-threatening injury, I faced the reality of losing the very thing that defined me: movement. Rehabilitation was intense, but it taught me something profound. I not only regained control over my body, but I came back stronger, with a deep understanding of how to push through physical limits. That experience sparked a desire to understand movement on a deeper level, beyond the art of dance. That’s why I chose to pursue a master’s in neuroscience, focusing on movement and sensorimotor functions. During my studies, I discovered the science behind movement, how the brain and body communicate, and how that communication can break down, especially in diseases like Parkinson’s. I also discovered something even more personal: the devastating reality of people losing their ability to move. For me, it wasn’t just a scientific problem; it was a human one. Movement had always been my gift, and seeing others lose it was deeply painful. I knew I had to help. I witnessed first-hand what it means to live with Parkinson’s. I also saw the limitations of current therapies. While movement is widely acknowledged as medicine, I realized something crucial: just like medicine needs to be administered in the right doses, with the correct intensity and frequency, so does movement. Simply moving is not enough. For it to be truly therapeutic, it must be structured, progressive, personalized, and monitored. That’s the real medicine. My mastery over movement and having the neuroscientific background to apply it to people with Parkinson's has made me The Parkinson's Coach. It has allowed me to approach Parkinson’s care in a way few others can. This is why I founded the Parkinson Performance Centre and created the Parkinson Power Protocol. Movement isn’t just medicine—it’s a powerful tool for fighting back against Parkinson’s, but only when it’s structured, progressive, personalized and monitored. I’ve been given the incredible gift of movement, and now, my mission is to give it to those who are losing it.

Experience

1. Founder

   Parkinson Performance Centre

   Sep 2024 — Present

2. Founder

   NeuroBallet

   Sep 2024 — Present

3. Chief Executive Officer

   NeuroBallet

   Sep 2024 — Present

4. Founder

   Phil.Art Platform

   Aug 2024 — Present

5. Research Internship

   Radboudumc

   Sep 2023 — Oct 2024

6. Research Assistant and Internship Trainee

   Radboudumc Center of Expertise for Parkinson Disease and Disorders of Movement

   Feb 2023 — Oct 2024

7. Sportdocent Dance Coach and Physical Trainer

   Sportcentrum Radboud

   May 2022 — May 2025

8. Teaching Assistant - Societal Impact of AI and Cognitive Neuroscience

   Radboud University

   Sep 2022 — Jan 2023

9. Research Internship Sensorimotor Neuroscience Lab (Donders Centre for Cognition)

   Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Donders Centre for Cognition

   Oct 2021 — Jul 2022

10. Professional Dancer

    Dance Company “La Compagnia del Carillon” by Réne de Cardenas (Cuba National Ballet)

    2019 — 2019

11. Professional Dancer

    Kjara's Dance Project

    2018 — 2018

12. Contemporary Ballet Dancer

    Ariston ProBallet (Contemporary Ballet)

    2014 — 2018

Education

• Radboud University

  MSc (Research) Neuroscience

• Research Internship Sensorimotor Neuroscience Lab (Donders Centre for Cognition)

  Research thesis · Sensorimotor cognitive neuroscience

  2021 — 2022

• Radboudumc Center of Expertise for Parkinson Disease and Disorders of Movement

  Research Internship Trainee · Neuroscienze

  2023

• Università degli Studi di Milano

  MA Philosophical Sciences (Reasoning · Analysis, and Modelling), Cognitive Neuroscience.

• Università degli Studi di Milano

  BA Applied Modern Humanities (Philosophy of Contemporary Aesthetics and Neuroaesthetics)

Skills

• Neuroscience | Sensorimotor Research | Movement Rehabilitation
• Parkinson’s Care | Personalized Exercise Programs