93-Year-Old Man With Dementia Wins Award For His Commitment To Dance And Exercise

Amazing 93-Year-Old Proves It's Never Too Late To Start Exercising
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A 93-year-old has proven you're never too old to up your fitness by dancing his way to a national award for exercise.

Ken Williamson takes dance classes three times a week - and waltzed into the top spot in the national competition, while staving off dementia.

Classes, run by specially-trained staff, teach dance to help residents maintain independence and manage dementia symptoms.

Ken was presented with the Oomph! Factor award in December for his impressive commitment to exercising.

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Ken with an Oomph! instructor

Ken said: "It takes me back to the old days. It rejuvenates me both of mind and spirit of my days as a youngster in the forces and civilian life with my dear wife of 66 years."

His wife Joan said that Ken loved the Oomph! sessions - and she thought they made him happier and more aware.

She said: "It makes my heart glad that Ken is happy in his surroundings."

Residents of Appleby House in Epsom, Surrey, enjoy learning samba, rumba and how to waltz in sessions designed to make exercising in old age fun.

The classes use popular music, props and story-telling routines.

Activities co-ordinator at the care home, Jacqueline Dye, described Ken as an "enthusiastic exercise-lover" - and it was her who nominated him for the award.

She said: "Ken is so enthusiastic during the sessions and gets up to join me for a waltz.

"When Ken first arrived at Appleby House he used to sit in his suite and was unwilling to come out.

"Now he is dancing his days away and is so much happier and always smiling."

Dance Moves That Burn Calories
Party Groove(01 of16)
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Place your arms up over your head in the position of showing off your muscles. Then, groove them side-to-side with a party feel. Once you have the arms moving to the right and left, get your upper body grooving in the same direction as the arms happening in one motion.
Party Groove(02 of16)
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Don't forget to move your head along with the beat. This dance move will definitely pump up your heart rate and get you ready for a night out on the town.
Attitude Leg Lifts(03 of16)
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Kiss your heels together and point toes to the diagonal of the room. Grab a chair for balancing if needed, and place your right hand on the back of the chair. Keeping your chest lifted, extend your left leg behind your hip into an arabesque position, foot pointed.Keeping your left leg raised, bend your left knee out to the side into an attitude position (your knee should be higher than your foot), and reach your left arm above your head keeping your elbows slightly bent, arm in a half circle shape by your ear, palm down. Extend your raised leg back out into arabesque. That's one rep. Repeat 20 times with the left leg, 20 times with the right. For more of a challenge, try this exercise on the ball of your foot.
The Booty Pop(04 of16)
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Open your legs to a wide stance and bend your knees. Connect your navel to your spine and loosen up your upper body. Push your booty out, then bring it back neutral, and keep repeating this motion.
The Booty Pop 2(05 of16)
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Just stick it out and then bring it back — this is your booty pop. Once you get into it, sink your body down lower and double-time it.
Broadway Kickin' Time(06 of16)
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Start with your feet hip-width apart, snapping your fingers to a good beat. Step right and kick left foot across your right foot and repeat other side. From there, add your arms more into it and every time your leg kicks then you snap at the same time. Try this 20 times alternating legs.
Contemporary Barre Arabesque Leg Lifts(07 of16)
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This dance move helps dancers to get strong, sexy, and sculpted legs. Start by kissing your heels together and allowing your toes to point towards the diagonals of the room. Then, keep your right foot pointing straight out to the front with your arms moving forward. Shift your weight onto that right foot by rising up on the ball of your foot, while your left leg lifts behind you. This happens in one motion and the arms reach over the head to form a 'V'. For a modified version, stay on a flat foot for the supporting side. Perform three sets of 12 on the right side, then repeat on the left side.
Jazz It Up And Jump(08 of16)
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Dance jumps are very popular and a great way to burn calories on the dance floor. Start in a wide stance and bend down hitting a squat position, followed by jumping up as high as you can. Move your arms over your head into a V and spread your fingers to “jazz hands.” The challenge is to make both legs symmetrical while in the air and to land gracefully. Try three sets of eight.
Mambo Cha Cha Cha(09 of16)
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A mambo is a two-count move: step forward on the ball of your lead foot, and then shift your weight and hips backwards onto the back foot. The cha-cha-cha is done with two normal beats, then three half beats, to make the rhythm "one two three-and-four.” Start this move by stepping forward slightly with your lead foot as you shift your weight forward. Shift your weight backwards onto your other foot. Use your hips to spice things up! Start the cha-cha-cha portion by pushing down with your lead foot, and then very quickly step back onto your other foot. This is done on the half count between three and four, known as the "and" count. Step back on your lead foot to end the cha-cha-cha. Try three sets of eight and make sure you have some Shakira, Pitbull, Enrique, and/or Ricky Martin blasting in the background.
Passe Lifts(10 of16)
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First think about the Rockettes in their kick line, then place your right leg back for a starting position. Step your right foot forward and bring your left leg up to passé position, your toe next to the opposite knee. Passé is a movement in ballet in which the working leg passes the supporting leg, sliding close to the knee. Add your arms out to your sides for style. Try 20 times with alternating legs.
Strike A Pose(11 of16)
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As Madonna would say, strike a pose, there's nothing to it. What are some of your favourite dance poses? Choose four to six poses, then put “Vogue” on and turn the volume up. Hit pose one sharply and hold for four counts, then hit post two sharply and hold four counts and so on. Perform this for the entire song and you will be happily surprised by how much your heart will be pumping by the end.
The Shimmy(12 of16)
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If you love the classic burlesque moves that Christina Aguilera and the Pussycat Dolls made popular again, then you will be shimmying like a pro in no time. Place your arms out to your sides and draw your elbows in close to your body. Spread your fingers out sharp to what we call, “jazz hands.” Now start to isolate your shoulders in opposition moving forward and back. Once you grasp the movement, pick up your pace and shake your stuff!
The Strut(13 of16)
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Make sure you have a clear space and room to travel. Start with your right leg back and start to walk right left right left and so on. Then try it again rising up on the balls of your feet, and repeat.
The Strut(14 of16)
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Add your hips, shoulders, arms, and some attitude and you have your very own signature walk.
Thrash It Out(15 of16)
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Picture yourself at a rock concert, and move your weight from side to side. In a wide stance, rock your body from right to left.
Thrash It Out(16 of16)
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It should feel like a side-to-side standing crunch — with some head whipping and banging thrown in, of course. Try three sets of eight.