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In Japan, 1,003 older women were studied for 8 years with the goal of understanding what exercise types reduced their capacity to carry out activities of daily living (ADL) such as walking, dressing, and bathing.  The women who consistently took part in dance had 73% less likelihood of developing ADL disability. Dr. Yosuke Osuka, lead investigator at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology stated, “Although it is unclear why dancing alone reduced the risk of ADL disability, dancing requires not only balance, strength, and endurance ability, but also cognitive ability: adaptability and concentration to move according to the music and partner, artistry for graceful and fluid motion, and memory for choreography…we think that these various elements may contribute to the superiority of dancing in maintaining a higher ADL capacity.”

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