Seated Dance Class Boosts Spirits of Sunshine Coast's Seniors

At any age, people told how important it is to remain fit and to exercise regularly. However, as people get older, this becomes more and more difficult. But the difficulty is no match for Sunshine Coast's Seniors, who put on their dancing shoes and get moving.

People at any age know the importance of exercising regularly and remaining fit. However this becomes more and more difficult as people become older. But for Sunshine Coasts Seniors, this difficulty has no match.  They just get moving on by wearing their dancing shoes.

The leader of the bunch is Gail Hewton. At any availability she teaches dance class to seniors. The only prerequisite is that the person should have the desire to dance. Many women she teaches dance are weaker, older and battling against Parkinson’s disease, strokes, multiple sclerosis and arthritis. However they still attend her classes. To learn seated Broadway dance more than 100 participants came. They also watched the dance performance of participants who were in their 90s.  The music, style and genres is unique. They have a completely new experience.

According to Hewton, aging is not an excuse to not to dance. Staying active is important no matter your ability. It is good for mental and physical health. Dance can boost balance, posture, strength and confidence. For those who are aging it is a great form of exercise. It helps retain some of the hardest elements of health. Hewton shares her experience of a lady in her dance class who is 95 year old and first walked using a cane and walker.  But now she can walk without it and her posture also has improved.

Dance helps improve posture and also it prevents the person from losing the posture.  It can make a marked difference on balance and strength if you practice at your own house using your own music but usually it is the mental health where it makes a significant difference. For lifting spirits, you can allow your body to move by connecting the music to the brain.  You can even lift your mood by doing a bit of dancing at home. A simple dancing in a chair can also be effective. For keeping the brain cognitively active and for the body, exercise is the number one thing. Also through dance people socially come together.

Even the participants share their views about the dance class. They have experienced massive positive effect on their mental and physical health. According to them dance makes them feel vital. Even though you do not want to move but when you get there the feeling is different.  Hewton is mindful of her students at the same time pushes them to their capabilities. In order to give them the sense of accomplishment she pushes them just the right amount. Sometimes for some even the simplest step is difficult but they are able to accomplish it with the help of this dance class.  For Hewton her class gives her joy. They get motivated to dance when they see others like them dancing. These dancers are assisted by Hewton’s class even if a person cannot make it to the Seated dance classes. Some lasting advice has been given by Thelma Daunt. She suggest that make many friends, stay active, stay and think young and as much as possible go out.