Dancing offers all kinds of benefits as you age

Carol Ross can’t stop smiling at dance practice as she shouts out the steps of a routine to members of her tap and jazz troupe for women age 50 and older.

“I’ve been dancing my whole life, it’s the best,” says Ross, who founded the Rodeo City Wreckettes group 23 years ago at an age when many people are getting ready for retirement.

Now 87, Ross and her husband and lifelong dance partner, John, also 87, have long known what more older adults are now discovering: Moving to music is one of the best ways to stay healthy. Medical professionals say it doesn’t matter if it’s Western line dancing, ballroom steps, salsa, tap, Zumba at the gym or with a group like the Wreckettes.

“Dancing is one of the most powerful activities for older people,” says Julio Loya, a nurse and geriatric program coordinator at the Tucson Medical Center in Arizona.

Dancing’s benefits

Dance, like other exercise, can help people lose weight, get stronger, reduce fall risk, increase mobility and flexibility and even improve brain health.

“It engages their brain, it changes their mood and it connects them socially while getting them moving,” Loya says. “And it’s fun. Everybody has a good time.”

Dr. Thomas Johnson, a geriatrician at the UCHealth Seniors Clinic in Aurora, Colorado, says he remembers one man in particular whose passion for dance was so strong that he willed himself to attend one last class before he died in his late 80s.

“His No. 1 priority was that he danced until the day that he died,” Johnson says.

Each year, his clinic sees about 2,500 people 75 and older, and he says dancing can improve their balance.

He adds that older patients can benefit from adding two to three dance sessions to the 150 minutes of aerobic exercise he recommends for them each week, because dancing often involves movements that help with balance, such as walking backward or standing on one foot.

Meeting people

The Wreckettes practice their routines during two-hour sessions at least twice a week in a rented dance studio.

After studying ballet as a girl, then moving on to everything from ballroom to tap as an adult, Ross says it made sense to keep dancing when she and her husband moved from Philadelphia to retire in Tucson.

John Ross is a key part of the Wreckettes’ routines, typically joining his wife for at least one number. At one recent practice, it was a saucy saunter to Merle Haggard’s “Let’s Chase Each Other Around the Room.”

“I learned early on that dancing was a great way to attract the chicks,” jokes John Ross, who slid across the floor like a much younger man.

Wreckettes member Cindy Soffrin says that watching her mother suffer as she aged convinced her to stay active as she got older.

“My mom was sedentary the last 20 years of her life. It was pretty rough,” says Soffrin, 74.

For 67-year-old Gail Kowalski, joining the Wreckettes three years ago meant finding new friends after her husband died and she moved from Utah to Tucson.

“Plus, it’s so dang fun,” Kowalski says.

Joy of performing

The Wreckettes perform throughout the year, from holiday events to rodeo shows, dressing up in a series of matching sparkly costumes.

But they all say what they love the most is being hired by retirement homes to perform for memory care patients. Wreckette members take turns picking a favorite charity to donate their earnings.

“When we first arrive, people will be distracted or sleeping,” Soffrin says. “But once the music comes on, they perk up right away.”

A similar dance group for older women in Southern Nevada, the Vegas Golden Gals, also performs at retirement homes, says Cheryl Cortez, the group’s president. They add pompoms to their routines.

“I must now know close to 40 routines,” says Cortez, 69. “And that alone has to be great for the memory.”

How to start dancing

If you want to pick up new moves, or dust off some old ones, here are a few tips from health professionals and dance instructors:

Before starting: Check with your health provider before starting a dance or any exercise program. Choose something simple to start, like line dancing rather than intricate tango steps.

Find a class: Check with a YMCA, parks and recreation department, or senior or community center. Community colleges often have dance classes, sometimes tailored for older people. Local dance studios and YouTube videos are other options. If you have Medicare Advantage insurance with the Silver Sneakers benefit, find out if your local gym has Zumba or other dance classes you can attend for free.

Before the session: Dress comfortably for easy movement, and warm up and stretch before class.

Most importantly: Have fun! You are doing great things for your mind and body.