There’s something about dancing.
When the music takes over and the body gets moving. It can start with a toe tap, and before you know it, you’re on your feet.
For the memory care residents at Good Samaritan Society – Prairie Creek, Thursdays with dance instructor Helen Marie Andrade are a time to cut loose.
“Oh yeah, I love to dance. It's a fun experience,” says resident Charla McGinnis. “I'm feeling there couldn't be anything better. And I don't care who's doing it. You just have to envelop it and say go, go, go.”
Helen is the owner of Stepping Out Dance in Sioux Falls. She’s been working with seniors for nearly two decades.
“I love getting close to seniors and having conversations with them. I'm getting there myself. I'm 70, so I hope somebody does that for me,” Helen says with a laugh.
Connection through contact
Each dance lesson includes stretching, dance history and trivia. For instance, big band music helped the foxtrot reach its peak popularity.
But the real magic happens when the music starts.
“That human contact, the touching, the music, the dance, playing instruments and getting involved,” Helen says. “People go from very seemingly kind of out of it to becoming very animated and bright and excited and happy. So, I love to see it. It’s extremely rewarding.”
Finding the rhythm comes easy for some.
“My escape as a small child was dancing,” says resident Colleen Choate. “From the time I could stand on my own two feet, I was dancing to music, any music. In my own world, having fun.”
Healthy hearts and muscle memory
Aside from being fun, these ballroom dances have health benefits, like a better sense of balance.
“What's good for the heart is good for the brain, so movement is good for your brain,” says activities coordinator Brittany Foos.
“It's kind of astonishing to see what the brain holds, even though it's deteriorating,” she adds. “But that muscle memory is there, and it just triggers something in them, and they come alive a little bit.”
Keeping time and keeping fond memories in mind.
“I was always close with my grandmother, and it's sort of my way of honoring her in a way,” Helen says.
“My dad suggested dance lessons,” Colleen says. “He thought it would calm me down, but it just increased my love of dancing.”
A love that beats to its own rhythm.
“This is what I live for in this job, is seeing those moments every day,” Brittany says. “Just that small spark of recognition of life of them. I mean, that's what I do. It's why I do what I do.”
