Extract from ABC News
'Still Dancing' brings joy of movement to older people (Baz Ruddick)
Every Thursday morning in the main theatre of a north Queensland dance company, a community gathers.
Under the guidance of dance teachers, women over the age of 55 come together to move and connect with one another.
The dance class is designed to promote creativity and movement in 'experiential' ways.
Judy Taylor, 79, has been going to the Still Dancing classes for four years.
Judy Taylor, 79, came to dance five years ago. (Supplied: Aaron Ashley, Dancenorth)
"At the beginning I had no idea that this would be a thing for me. I didn't know how to move and in fact I didn't like the way I moved," Ms Taylor said.
"Now I think the amazing thing is that I couldn't be without it. It is a sense of joy."
Andi Gillham, Dancenorth's community class coordinator, said she has seen the community grow from classes of half a dozen regulars to 30 people.
"It is basically just a slower-paced class for people that want to revisit dancing, or if they're injured, or just want a general experience in a dance environment," she said.
"We used to do a lot of the class seated, but it has moved into being a little bit more physical."
Dancenorth's Andi Gillham and Amber Haines say a beautiful community has evolved around the classes. (ABC News: Baz Ruddick)
Unlike Ms Taylor, 84-year-old Peggy Robertson has been a dancer for most of her life, having studied ballet in her younger years.
The classes have allowed her to move outside the boundaries of traditional dance.
"There [in ballet] you have to concentrate very much on all your movements, here you can just follow your body," Ms Robertson said.
"Nobody judges you. It just makes you feel so good."
'A joy of being alive'
Amber Haines, the co-artistic director of the company, described the group as "open and explanatory".
"The emphasis is generally experiential as opposed to defined moves," Ms Haines said.
Peggy Robertson has danced her whole life, but says contemporary classes have given her a new appreciation of movement. (Supplied: Aaron Ashley, Dancenorth)
She said the class offered something different for those in their older years who wanted to keep moving for exercise, but did not want to do traditional movement.
"There is a lot of pressure on people in their later years to exercise to remain healthy and biomechanically stable," she said.
"But a lot of that exercise can be very linear and regimented and not very inspiring. Dance involves the mind and the imagination.
"There are so many variables to that experience that it elicits a joy of being alive."
Around 30 dancers, mostly aged over 55, attend the weekly 'Still Dancing' classes. (ABC News: Baz Ruddick)
Ms Taylor said along with the joy of dancing, she valued the community and connection in the class.
"To know that there's people here who enjoy the same things and value the same friendships is so important," she said.
"I think I really feel that it's a great gift we are given here — to have this experience of connection and being together and a community in a sense."
Judy Taylor says when she first started dance classes she wasn't sure if it was for her, but later grew to love it.
Ms Gillham said she had seen relationships develop alongside the class.
"People meet people and they hang out on the weekends; there is so much depth of relationship here in the room every week," she said.
"Dance is for everybody. Everyone can dance and generally everyone will enjoy dance once they're exposed to what the possibilities can be."
Supporting the brain and the body
Adelaide University research fellow Dr Maddison Mellow says physical movement can help slow cognitive decline in older people. (Supplied)
Dr Maddison Mellow, a postdoctoral research fellow at Adelaide University, has done extensive studies around brain health and how lifestyle changes can reduce dementia risk.
She said physical inactivity is a risk factor for dementia, which as of 2025 is the leading cause of death in Australia according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
"The heart and the brain are strongly connected, so what's good for your heart is good for your brain," Dr Mellow said.
"We know that remaining physically active or increasing physical activity has benefits for cerebral blood flow and reducing neuroinflammation.
"There is also some evidence that physical activity can increase or maintain the volume of certain brain regions ... for example the hippocampus which is important for memory storage and retrieval."
The 'Still Dancing' classes focus on gentle movement in a non-traditional expressive way. (ABC News: Baz Ruddick)
Dr Mellow said studies had also found social contact and social engagement were beneficial in combating social isolation; another risk factor for dementia.
"People who enjoy the physical activity they're doing are more likely to stick to it and then more likely to maintain it as a habit rather than just a once off," she says.
"That jump from zero to five or ten minutes a day [of exercise] is typically where we see the largest jump in physical and cognitive benefits, and the benefits continue from there."
"It's never too late to get back in to exercise."
A passion for movement
Ms Robertson and Ms Taylor both said the class had had a positive effect on their lives, and they have begun dancing outside the class.
Ms Taylor said she often found herself moving to music in shops and other public places.
Dancers are encouraged to be present and mindful of their movements during the class. (ABC News: Baz Ruddick)
"I'm in the shops and I'm lining up and I hear music and I start to do this [dance] much to everybody's embarrassment," she said.
"I move much more than I used to. It's a need. It's a good feeling to move."
They both plan to continue dancing for as long as they can.
84-year-old Peggy Robertson says that she will continue dancing for as long as she is physically able to. (ABC News: Baz Ruddick)
"If I can't move my legs, I'll sit on a chair and move. I'll just keep moving," Ms Robertson said
"Life is too short ... have fun and move your body — if you don't move it you lose it."
"I never want to stop. I'll be doing something as long as I can," Ms Taylor said.
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