About Dance for Life
Launched in 2019, Dance for Life was created to meet the rising demand for senior wellness programming. Heart of Dance offers this 10-week program to active seniors, ambulatory memory-care elders, and their caregivers. It weaves together music, story sharing, journaling, and interactive dance to focus on four key areas:
Building physical strength and flexibility
Improving balance to reduce the risk of falls
Expanding social connections
Increasing cognitive focus to delay or diminish the effects of dementia
All this while sparking joy and passion! Participants learn 6-7 social partner dances. No partner is necessary.
Dance for Life concludes with a community social event open to clients, staff, and families that bridges generational and cultural gaps through dance.
In the videos below, senior adults share remarks on the holistic benefits of learning partner dance.
Research
According to the New England Journal of Medicine, social partner dancing at least twice a week made people less likely to develop dementia. It also has been shown that some people with Alzheimer's disease are able to recall forgotten memories when they dance to music they used to know. That’s why our program holds sessions twice a week — keeping participants engaged and on their feet!
Stanford University Dance Division analyzed this study to see if any physical or cognitive recreational activities influenced mental acuity. Out of the cognitive and physical activities examined — from tennis and swimming to reading and crossword puzzles — they found frequent dancing scored the highest with a 76 percent risk reduction for dementia. That’s because dancing integrates several brain functions at once, including kinesthetic, rational, musical and emotional. Altogether, dance works wonders for neural connectivity!
"Dance for Life has been a blessing for me. As a 69-year-old stroke survivor there are many residual effects that my body has had to adjust to in day-to-day life. Being in Dance for Life has challenged every one of those; my balance, coordination, memory and recall, stamina, and more! Thank you, Heart of Dance. This program was right on time for me!”
Shirley, Dance for Life participant
B2 and B3 Tracks
With two program tracks offered, Dance for Life provides an accessible path to the mental, physical, and social benefits of partner dance for differing ability levels.
B2 (Building Brain and Balance):
Created for ambulatory memory-care elders and their caregivers, using slower music tempos, with an emphasis on balance and step memory.
B3 (Building Body, Brain, and Balance):
Developed for active seniors and taught at a faster pace with brisk music tempos, with an additional focus on the physical and social aspects of partner dance.
