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Participants follow a seated dance routine during a seniors fitness class in Calgary, combining movement, balance and social interaction. PHOTO SUPPLIED: EMILY JOHNSON<\/p>\nAs Calgary\u2019s older adult population grows, so do opportunities for physical activity \u2014 particularly in dance.<\/p>\n
Over a decade ago, Glenis Martin was dragged kicking and screaming to her first-ever line dancing class.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finding movement later in life<\/p>\n
\u201cI said, \u2018If this is all country music, I\u2019m out of there. I will go,\u201d said Martin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Martin didn\u2019t leave. But she stayed, first for that class, then for another 11 years and counting.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
She went from an apprehensive student to an instructor and coordinator for the Family Leisure Centre Seniors Club in southeast Calgary, where she headed the line-dancing program.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The FLC Seniors Club, a non-profit, is a volunteer-run organization in Calgary. Through various programs, they strive to create a communal environment for seniors living in the city.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As a teacher, Martin has watched attendees improve their physical mobility and also enjoy connecting with other participants through dancing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The science behind staying active<\/p>\n
\u201cMentally, it\u2019s good for us. Physically, it\u2019s good for us. And then there\u2019s also the socialization aspect,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
And Martin isn\u2019t the only one to acknowledge the benefits of moving to music. Sarah Kenny is an associate professor at the University of Calgary and a dance science researcher.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Through her work, she has found that there are many benefits for aging adults in using dance as an outlet for movement.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not only thinking about \u200b\u200bthe absence of disease, but we\u2019re thinking about the physical health, the emotional health, the social health, of humans,\u201d said Kenny.<\/p>\n
In recent years, a variety of programs have been popping up throughout Calgary that specifically cater to older adults looking to expand their fitness horizons.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Adapting fitness for older adults<\/p>\n
Emily Johnson, founder of StrongerU Senior Fitness, has dedicated years to improving the physical well-being of the aging community.<\/p>\n
StrongerU focuses on training other instructors in creating accommodating workout spaces.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSenior fitness is really a specialty, so if someone is looking to teach senior fitness, they really want to get specialized training, because working with older adults has a lot of nuances and a lot of things that you want to watch out for,\u201d said Johnson. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
One of the key challenges seniors face in fitness is finding classes that are not tailored to their mobility and activity levels.\u00a0<\/p>\n
All these efforts to improve fitness among older adults are closely linked to better outcomes, not only in terms of health but also in socialization and overall well-being.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Connection beyond the dance floor<\/p>\n
That social connection is something Martin remembers from her first-ever line-dancing class.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I first started line dancing, actually, I made friends in my very first class that I still see socially,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Like her, Martin has watched many people in her classes connect and form lasting bonds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Participants follow a seated dance routine during a seniors fitness class in Calgary, combining movement, balance and social interaction. PHOTO SUPPLIED: EMILY JOHNSON<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the most part, people are very social before class, during class, and after class. Sometimes they\u2019ll go for coffee, they\u2019ll go for lunch,\u201d said Martin.<\/p>\n
A space for everyone\u00a0<\/p>\n
These classes have become a way for people from older generations to meet others and come together over the shared joy that dance brings.<\/p>\n
Whether attendees are long-time Calgarians or new to the city, these classes offer a space to try something new while connecting with others.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to have a partner.\u2029So if you are, let\u2019s say, widowed or a single person, or maybe your partner doesn\u2019t like to dance. You can line dance without any problem,\u201d said Martin.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd you can go to a class by yourself because you\u2019re going to meet other people in the same situation you are.\u201d<\/p>\n
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