Late afternoons can be dreary during Northeast winters. The sun sets early and the cold has us all reaching for that extra blanket. But imagine a different kind of evening-one that has you reaching for your dancing shoes instead. Beginning this fall, we’ve welcomed Stephanie from Foxy Trot Dance Studios into our Aerobics Room. Stephanie offers ballroom dancing lessons for all occasions and abilities. The best part? She comes to Shaker Pointe every Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. to teach. Residents have enjoyed learning and refreshing their skills in Waltzing, Foxtrot, and East Coast Swing. A perk of being a resident at Shaker Pointe, is that most don’t even have to go outside to get to our Aerobics Room. So while the weather outside may be dark and the wind swept snow may be swirling, our residents have found a new way to stay fit and have fun. In fact, studies published recently in the Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, show that participating in dancing, is associated with a 73% lower likelihood of needing assistance. This was in comparison to participating in other forms of exercise. While dancing alone might not be the reason for reducing ones risk, it does require a lot of key factors that help us age successfully. Dance focuses on balance, strength, endurance ability, and cognitive ability. In other words, dancing isn’t just picking up your feet and having fun, your mind is also having to adapt and concentrate, lending to an increase in fluid motion and cognition. While we might be apt to skip out on a fitness class this season, try dancing instead. It’s fun and we can all do it! Our residents can attest to the difference it makes.