The Australian Ballet teamed up with home care provider NurseWatch to run free classes at the Sydney Opera House earlier this month to help some aspiring ballerinas (aged between 60 and 90 years) improve their fitness, health and wellbeing.
NurseWatch founder, Kate Spurway, says she came up with the idea after she saw the results of a study conducted by Queensland Ballet and the Queensland University of Technology in 2018.
The research found that not only did older people who did ballet on a regular basis have better energy and flexibility – they were also much happier.
The Dance for Seniors classes focus on the ‘wellness’ element of ballet – teaching older students about correct posture, observing breathing, and maintaining muscle strength as they age.
But it’s not just the physical improvements that have these ballerinas coming back for every class.
After their lessons, the students often grab some afternoon tea and catch a matinee of a professional ballet running in their city – which they also learn about in class – for a fun social outing.
The classes are open to the public and will be running again in November and December in Sydney. More information will be available on the NurseWatch website closer to the dates.
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