Dancing is among the most suitable forms of exercise for later life. It combines moderate aerobic effort with balance, coordination and memory, it is done in company and to music, and it can be adapted for people who are frail or seated.
Benefits
- Heart and lungs: the NHS lists dancing among moderate activities that count towards the 150 minutes a week recommended for adults of all ages.
- Balance and falls: turning, stepping in different directions and shifting weight train balance, and the NHS names dance among activities that improve it. Adults over 65 are advised to do such activities at least twice a week.
- Strength and bones: dancing is weight-bearing, which helps to maintain the bones and the muscles of the legs.
- Mind: learning and remembering steps, and responding to music and a partner, exercise attention and memory.
- Mood and company: classes and social dances are a regular reason to go out and meet people, which counters loneliness.
Kinds of dance
- Ballroom and Latin: waltz, foxtrot, quickstep, cha-cha and others, danced with a partner.
- Sequence dancing: ballroom steps in set routines, which all the couples perform together.
- Line dancing: set routines danced in rows, without a partner.
- Scottish country, ceilidh and English folk dancing: sociable set dances, often with a caller giving the moves.
- Tea dances: afternoon social dances, held in halls and community centres across the country.
- Dance fitness classes, some designed for older adults at a gentler pace.
- Seated dance: movement to music in a chair, for people with limited mobility.
Dance and health conditions
Specialist classes are run for people with Parkinson's disease, in which rhythm and music help with the starting and flow of movement, and for people living with dementia and their carers, where familiar music often prompts movement and recollection. Dance programmes are also used in falls prevention and in cardiac and stroke rehabilitation. Dance movement psychotherapy is a separate, registered profession in which movement is used within psychological treatment.
Starting
- Local councils, community centres, charities for older people and dance schools list classes. Beginners are expected, and a partner is not needed for most.
- Anyone with a heart condition, dizziness, recent surgery or a history of falls is advised to speak to a GP first and to tell the teacher.
- Shoes need to fit securely, with a smooth sole that turns easily but does not slip. Loose slippers and heavy rubber soles are unsuitable.
- Sessions begin gently, with rests and water to hand.
- A chair or rail nearby gives support for anyone unsteady.
Precautions
Floors are checked for spills and trailing cables, and there needs to be room to move. Pain in the chest, breathlessness beyond the ordinary, or dizziness are reasons to stop and seek advice. Other forms of activity suited to later life are described under staying active in later life.