You don’t have to be a professional dancer or even swift on your feet to reap the many benefits of dance for seniors, caregivers, or anyone else. Other than perhaps aerial dancing, you can adapt most dance moves to go easy on achy joints or accommodate other physical limitations.
Regardless of whether you’ve been sedentary for many years or looking to get back into dance after a long break, it’s never too late to get up and shake it.
A little timid? With so many free online video tutorials, you can even get the basics down at home before venturing into group dance.
In this article, I share the benefits of dancing and best tips for finding your dance style of choice, what to look for in a class and instructor, and how to get motivated to take the next steps… literally!
The Benefits of Dance for Seniors (and the rest of us!)
Getting into the habit of moving to your favorite beats starts with a reminder of the many benefits of dance to your physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
Physical Fitness
For many people, dance is an amazing way to stay physically active. Not only are you getting your body moving, but you’re doing so in a way that’s enjoyable and may not even feel like hard work.
Plus, being active like this has countless benefits for you. It can help you lose weight, lower stress, and even decrease the risk of some diseases. You might even find that once you start being active, you make healthier decisions in other parts of your life too, like reducing your reliance on alcohol, unhealthy food, or smoking.
Increased Energy
Dancing is a surefire way to feel more energized. People describe getting bursts of energy while dancing. Dance can be incorporated into any lifestyle, including a busy caregiver’s routine. It can be as simple as putting on their favorite song for 10 minutes and dancing in your apartment when you hear that song. Remember that saying, “Dance like nobody’s watching!”
Improved Mood
Taking a 10- or 15-minute break to dance to your favorite YouTube video may be enough to provide the needed endorphin surge to improve your mood!
Dance will have a beneficial effect on your emotional health and wellbeing. On days you feeling stressed, down, or lethargic, dance can snap you out of that funk.
You’ll feel so much better and forget your worries if you put on a little music and dance. Don’t worry if you don’t feel like doing so at first. You’ll change your mind once you start moving.
The friend who inspired this article in the first place shared this amazing compilation of samba dancers from around the world, which was recorded amidst the pandemic. Her team represented Washington D.C./U.S.A. in this video, and their performance was choreographed by Natasha Lima, director at BSD Dance. When my friend is not working her demanding day job fighting for justice, dance is an important outlet for her.
Whether she’s posted a video of her troupe in a parade or shared her latest online video in our group chat, one thing is clear: you can sense her pure joy and passion. Anyone can see the positive impact that dancing has on her life. It’s contagious and uplifting.
Mental Distraction
The benefits of dance for seniors are relevant for your mental health too. When your mind is clogged with the worries du jour, there’s nothing like dance to redirect your thoughts and snap you out of a downward spiral of negative emotions. When trying to focus on getting a step in any dance class, it’s pretty hard to think about anything else.
Dancing is a form of moving meditation and an easy way of getting in the “zone.”
Socialization
Joining an in-person class can help you build and maintain new friendships as well as the instructors. Besides, dancing is fun and takes the “work” out of “workout”!
You can really get to know people when you spend hours practicing the choreography over and over again, until you all move together – connected by your energy, the choreography, and love of dance – as a unified whole.
Of course, you don’t need to be involved in rehearsals and performances to enjoy the socialization side of dance. Even groups that meet once a week to dance for fun get plenty of time to connect with each other.
Sense of Community
Your dance troupe can feel like your extended family. Sticking to a dance class schedule, even if somewhat modified, throughout busier times, can help you stay grounded and centered.
Even on the coldest of days during the lockdown when most can barely venture out of the house, friendships made through dance have a way of making you feel part of the larger community.
You don’t need to focus on performing either. Many dance classes take a dance-fitness approach, where you’re dancing for the physical and mental benefits, rather than with the goal of performing.
Cultural Connection
Dancing makes me feel connected to the art and culture of dance. I enjoy learning about the history and cultural roots of different dance styles and traditions, attending dance performances, and even going to a dance supply store to buy new shoes or costumes.
Many die-hard dancers will have gone on trips abroad to further immerse themselves in dance, inspired by their local classes.
How Dance Can Be Therapeutic
Science is catching up with what we’ve suspected all along. A systematic review from 2019 found dance therapy to improve executive function among people with Parkinson’s disease, and emerging research suggests that it may have positive effects on cognitive and emotional wellbeing.
Music therapy activities for seniors, such as drum circles, wrapping bells around your arms, or sing-alongs can also be done right at home and are perfect for lifting the spirits in any room. Such activities can calm nerves and possibly reduce agitation in persons with dementia.
How You Can Get Involved in Dance
What’s Your Motivation?
Now that we’ve established the powerful benefits of dance for seniors, let’s explore ways to find your own motivation. It could be to get more physically fit, find new friends, learn about a new culture, or find your community.
Get out to local events. Even during the pandemic, the National Park Service and D.C. sponsored live outdoor concerts. One of them had a number of bands, including a go-go band. Everyone was dancing and enjoying the live music. It was almost like before the pandemic.
There are still other ways to find low cost and free dance and musical events.
- If you’re a Veteran, sign up for VetTix, so you can qualify for free and discounted tickets to many venues and events, including concerts.
- Search for “senior center near me” or contact your County’s Parks and Recreation Department to register for your local senior center and access their many dance workshops. Seniors and local residents get discounted fares.
- If you have kids or grandkids involved in a music or dance performance, volunteer to help with the production and get your tickets that way.
What’s the Best Music Dance Style for You?
There are so many styles of dancing out there, ones that many adults enjoy. Ballet, samba, Afro-Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, Afro-beat, salsa, aerial dancing, flamenco, modern, hip-hop/funk, Afro-jazz, and Zumba are some that come to mind.
If there’s a particular kind of music you enjoy, chances are there is a dance style that is adaptable to that music. Answer the following questions to get more insight into the moves you want to groove to:
- What music makes you bop your head or tap your foot?
- What form of dance brings back good memories and instantly puts a smile on your face?
- Is there a form of dance that brings you back to your cultural roots?
- Is there a dance style that fascinates you and keeps you engrossed in the dancer’s every move?
Ultimately, the best way for you to decide what’s most suitable for you is to keep trying different styles until you find something you love and want to keep learning.
You’ll know what dance gets you most excited once you’ve tried it.
Dance for Fitness with Free Online Resources
You can find video tutorials for just about any form of dance on YouTube, from the running man to hip-hop moves. The shuffle is popular on TikTok. Some dancers in those videos start with a mini-tutorial and a breakdown of the movements, and then perform the choreography at the regular tempo.
Danzon from Mexico and Cuba is now being offered in more senior centers and is popular because of its smooth, elegant, and classic ballroom style dance moves with couples. You can also find tutorials in Spanish.
What’s great is that you don’t have to have the body of a figure skater to take advantages of the benefits of dance for seniors. Indeed, dancers come in all shapes and sizes.
Many fitness instructors recognize that incorporating fun dance moves into their workout will keep people coming back. You can explore these channels and videos that have done just that:
- Kukuwa Fitness® is a channel full of short and long lively workouts set to various African dance styles. You’ll enjoy their positive energy.
- For the Bollywood experience, you can find videos covering the basic steps or full-on Bollywood-style workouts from Dance with Deepti. Deepti’s workouts are among my favorite, and she has something for all levels, from beginner to advanced, and even chair exercises for seniors and persons with limited mobility. No excuses!
- 305 Fitness, is another fun one, which offers a cardio class that incorporates basic dance moves, giving the class a fun and upbeat vibe. This is definitely faster paced. They have a DJ on set. Hello dance party!
Check Out Local Classes and Instructors
Most dance studios and fitness centers will allow you to test out a class for free or as a drop-in without committing to multiple sessions. Take advantage of that to get a feel for the rhythm of the class and the instructor’s style. Some dance studios may be dedicated to specific styles of dance, such as ballet or folkloric dancing. Others offer a huge array of classes with different options all under one roof, and for the same membership.
Don’t forget that gyms and recreational centers offer fitness courses, often with discounts for seniors and local residents. Some do a great job of incorporating fun dance steps into their workouts. Zumba is a popular example of that. In my region, some of the classes also have a segment devoted to core work, which is great!
Another important factor when selecting a class is the instructor. As with learning any other new skill, a good instructor will make all the difference. They’ll know how to keep students motivated and coming back to learn more.
A good teacher can impart so much knowledge, experience, and love of dance, that their enthusiasm for dance shines through and is motivating!
A good instructor knows how to provide constructive feedback about your moves and style, even through video.
If you’re struggling with health issues, pay attention to how the instructor can guide you to make modifications. A good instructor is flexible and always aware of their students’ limitations.
Dancing Despite Physical Restrictions and Pain
You can engage in physical activity even with certain mobility restrictions and with your doctor’s approval. There are many ways to get active. Taking it slow is important. You can even get your heart rate up and your limbs moving while sitting in your favorite chair.
If you have mobility restrictions from injuries or other conditions, you can always modify the movements to your safe range of motion. If taking dance classes in person, let the instructor know about any injury. They can usually suggest modifications to the movement. For example, if someone is taking a ballet class and knows their ankle is still weak from a recent injury, they may want to make certain adjustments when executing movements.
Know your own limits! It is important not to push beyond those limits. Remember why you’re there – to have fun. You don’t have to impress anyone, so ease into your steps. Overdoing it is how injuries happen in dance and any other physical sport or activity.
Keeping Up Your Routine
Set yourself up for success by having the right attire, equipment, environment, and schedule.
- Having the right gear is crucial. Wear comfortable clothes (loose and breathable) and shoes that will protect your feet and knees from impact.
- If you have incontinence issues, be sure to secure any special undergarments, and avoid funky leotards that will take too long to undo as you head to the bathroom.
- Staying hydrated is so important that Kapok just featured an article full of tips for seniors on how to keep dehydration from making you ill. A hard workout should be chased with a large bottle of water.
- Make a space for your dance practice at home. Clear the clutter and create an inviting space where you can easily set up a screen, stretch, twirl, and kick to reduce the risk of falling. A fall will wreak havoc on your independence, finances, and emotional state.
- Find a buddy who wants to practice new moves with you. What a great way to catch up while sweating out negative emotions, stress, and extra calories.
- Scheduling your dance time. Be the master of your own schedule. Twenty minutes is enough to get your heart pumping and change your state of mind. You can sneak that time in between chores, social events, but scheduling dance time when you are most energetic at the same time is the best way to make dance a habit.
Resetting After a Break from Dance
It’s perfectly normal to take a break from any hobby.
Life events have a way of disrupting your flow. Changes to your caregiving role, the end of a relationship, or even a new job may tap you out. Don’t beat yourself up. It’s never too late to revisit your love of dance.
Many people took a hiatus from dancing during lockdown from the COVID pandemic. Today it’s COVID; tomorrow, it will be another crisis. Stay connected to your dance troupe or studio through social media. Where possible, make an effort to attend performances put on by them or other social gatherings they host.
Final Thoughts
Whether you want to gyrate those hips in front of your own mirror or be the opening act at your next community festival, that’s entirely up to you. With such a variety of dance styles and resources out there, you have no excuse to take the next steps. Looking for a charity to support? Consider the Michael J Fox Foundation. He has inspired millions through his personal perseverance and advocacy for Parkinson’s research.
Looking for a charity to support? Consider the Michael J Fox Foundation. He has inspired millions through his personal perseverance and advocacy for Parkinson’s research.
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