She danced her way to a healthy 90!
My siblings and I are so blessed to have healthy parents who are still in the prime of their health at the young age of nine decades. I may seem to brag, but I am really so astounded to see my father do shoulder stands and hanging in a bar to stretch himself as part of his daily exercise routine. On top of this, he still drives his car, (refuses to have a driver), plays golf three times a week, and joins senior citizens tournaments here and abroad. He usually wins a trophy for the being the oldest member of the tournament.
My mother is another story. She is, for me, a rare specimen of womanhood. At one point in her golden years, after successfully raising eight children and living a life centered on her husband and her family, she announced that it was now time for her to have a break. She chose dance as her therapy and outlet and we laud her for her decision. She and my father made a pact: She will not complain about his golf activities and he will support her all the way in her love for ballroom dance.
Mom has been dancing for 37 years now and through it all, we have seen her role play the multiple characters that her dance clubs (Smiles, Supreme, Circle) assigned her to portray. During their Roman Holiday night, she was Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. During their Latin Night, for instance, she was a salsa queen, and many more other themes they could think of. Her dance clubs made life exciting for their members by having big affairs of the sort. These theme parties pumped Mom’s adrenalin to the max, on top of keeping her inspired to look fit, beautiful, and healthy.
Mom just celebrated a milestone birthday with a big bang! Imagine a nonagenarian dancing with three dance partners during an exhibition number of different dances. The party place rocked because all the guests cheered her on and rose to their feet in a standing ovation. Her three dance trainers lifted her in the air, she was truly awesome! I was a basket case of emotions — I screamed, I cried, I laughed — and I was truly in awe of this 90-year-old woman dancing in front of us all , without forgetting for a second that she is my mother.
Mom is truly an inspiration to both her children and friends. One of the things that she has not changed in her weekly routine is listing down the menu for the weekly marketing of the family cook, doing the math without a calculator. Because she is good at math on top of being honest, she was always chosen treasurer of her dance clubs. She reads the newspaper every morning without fail, clipping articles which she thinks would be of interest to us. And she also clips out photos of her children (mostly mine) that she sees in the broadsheets. Perhaps her memory is not as sharp as it was 10 years ago, but that is truly understandable for a person her age. Greater mortals would just as soon praise their lucky stars to even reach that age without having gone through a major surgery, not even cosmetic. And a plus factor for her is also her diet. She loves simple, healthy food, and is not particularly fond of rich cuisine. However, she has a sweet tooth and loves desserts which she eats moderately, too. She takes vitamin supplements like C, B complex, calcium, E, and magnesium and as well as medication for her heart.
Health benefits of dance
Doctors and scientists claim that there are numerous health benefits of dance and for me, the most important benefit for old age is improved mental functions. I see my mother learning dance steps and coordinating the steps with her hips and arms so for sure she is improving her memory in the process. Other benefits include: improved condition of the heart and lungs, increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness, increased aerobic fitness, increased muscle tone and strength, weight management, stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis, improved balance, flexibility and spatial awareness, increased physical confidence, improved general and psychological well-being, greater self-confidence and self-esteem, better social skills. (Source: Better Health Channel)
Mommy dances three times a week with three different instructors, much younger than her, and I am not exaggerating when I say she keeps them on their toes.
Wishing our Mommy dearest many more dance years to come!
