Dancing is the next best thing humans can experience to flying. Not even sex compares And if you keep it up through the years you might just last forever.
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When I'm King, everyone will dance. It's the best thing for you!
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Despite what we are constantly taught and told, there is nothing wrong with getting older. These women demonstrate joy, dignity and commitment to an art form. Brava.
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Thank you to the dancers for the inspiration. Thank you to The Times for bringing their stories to the world.
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another great NYT article
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Sweet and inspiring. I’m sure this keeps them feeling young!
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This is an inspiring story! For a few years I have been studying the use of the creative arts as a tool for health promotion. These women are a great example of the benefits.
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Awesome. Great energy and I love the little hop move. Rock on!
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Dancing is food for the soul for any age, always! Feel the music, and get moving! 🎶
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This is just lovely.
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Fantastic! You GO ladies!
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Wonderful story about these beautiful dancers. As a 64 year old very amateur ballerina, I can attest to the benefits of dancing past 60. Aside from the mental stimulation of learning the combinations and patterns (in French) , the physical exertion, the discipline, concentration, strength, balance, flexibility, weight control and sense of accomplishment, dance also provides a sense of community and level of social engagement so important to the aging process. The genre is inconsequential- keep moving and keep smiling!
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This is inspiring. I do wish there were more places to dance in the U.S. for those in the middle-aged as well as senior demographic. A lot of dance is geared toward children, or geared toward 20-30 year olds. At a certain point your body can't move like it used to. Perhaps a knee is giving you trouble. Or a shoulder. But you still want to dance into old age. It would also be great to have more variety, for example, beyond ballroom, tap, jazz, modern, and ballet. And give us contemporary music! There are so many fun YouTube dance tutorials [Simone De La Rue, Cassey Ho, 305 Fitness, Matt Steffanina]. I find myself dreaming that I have my own dance studio and can invite friends over to dance to these routines, because my community doesn't offer what I'm looking for.
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Lovely story and pictures/video. The lady who said dancing is healing is spot on! It's physical, social, emotional, and fun.
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Contrary to popular belief, being over 60 is not the end of one’s dancing life. In many cases, this is when it starts. Kids are grown, job is secure and we’re looking for some fun that doesn’t involve looking at a screen. As a 61 year old swing dance (lindy hop and jitterbug) instructor, our classes are full of folks of all ages who dance with each other. Aside from the obvious benefits to our physical and mental health, it is a supportive community. My good friend and dance icon, Jean Veloz, is 95 years old and still rocks the house. If you can move, you can groove.
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My mom goes to a similar group, the Taiwanese Cultural Center in Flushing (not a ‘senior’ center, which she refused to go to, even if participants are all retired) since Dad passed away. In addition to Tai Chi and ping pong, they learn new artistic skills from singing, playing piano to dancing, have performed at Lincoln Center and even reached a level of fame such as to be invited back to Taiwan.
It revitalized her both emotionally and physically.
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This a good refreshing story. Bless them all and thank you for publishing it. It made my day.
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Throughout China, middle aged and older women gather at sunrise and sunset for the GuangChangWu (literally public square dance). It's very inclusive, and, when I lived in Beijing, I used to occasionally join a group who met in the park near my apartment.
This article and the dances in China make me wonder how we can do a better job in the U.S. of creating a society where people have opportunities to be social and remain visible as they age.
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@Emily To "opportunities to be social and remain visible..." I would would add "be physically active" - Thanks!
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Inspiring! Age is not an issue. It is zest for life to stay well and healthy. An activity based entertainment! I love it!
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A great group of women and a great story!
Thank you!
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Wonderful story, perfect photos and videos. Thanks for the reminder that dancing is indeed an elixir of youth.
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What a great story and wonderful visuals.
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I love this! Brings me back to my childhood in China, watching my grandma do group dances at the local park.
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@Alicia
thanks for a beautiful story. Dancing is great for the body and mind when we are aging. My husband at 81, and I at 78 dance with our grandchildren and have a ball. Just moving to the music is fun and therapeutic.
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@Alicia I wish the NYT would offer more stories like this one-demonstrating how people have found more artful, healthy, and soulful ways to live—at the community level.
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