Hi, I’m Dottie!

Absolutely not! A 21-year study of seniors 75 and over (well into their 90s) led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that dancing frequently was the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia. They studied many activities including reading, bicycling, swimming, doing crossword puzzles, playing golf, and dance, by far, presented the greatest dementia risk reduction of any activity studied, cognitive or physical. This is because of the way our brain constantly rewires it’s neural pathways to learn new steps as needed. If your brain doesn’t need to, then it won’t. Which is exactly why learning to dance at any age is beneficial!

You can certainly learn the steps and dances without tap shoes, but they sure do make it more fun! There are several very reasonably priced tap shoes on Amazon ($25-$30) and I’m happy to recommend a few. But what I also love for chair tap is a slip-on by TapFit that fits over your own shoes. This is what I use in my senior communities, and they love them because they can wear their favorite sneakers, slip-ons, or almost any full shoe, and simply put the taps on for class. They don't have to worry about finding tap shoes that fit or are comfortable. I have a whole suitcase full of them and it makes it so easy to have taps for everyone. These can be ordered from Amazon (I have a direct link) or Tapfit.com. Let me know if you have questions about sizing. I’m more than happy to help you with any of these options.

Yes, and I understand! I’m not great with technology either, so I strive to make these classes as straightforward and simple as possible. For the Chair Tap Dance for Seniors online course, you will type in ChairTapDance.com/library, and be able to access your classes directly from there.

For the Chair Tap Dance Club, the weekly classes will be sent directly to your email each week--no logging in or passwords necessary! BUT, if you want to access previous week's classes, you can either look back in your emails or type in ChairTapDance.com/library and they will be there!

And don't worry, I’m always available by email to help with any questions or problems you may have.

This is exactly why I started teaching chair tap! It is low-impact which reduces strain on the joints, and with a chair for support, you can learn safely without the risk of falling. Chair dance can elevate your heart rate to promote cardiovascular health and improve muscle strength especially in your legs and core, which will help maintain balance and stability. I’ve seen so many people with varying challenges including joint replacements, stroke, arthritis, Alzheimer's/dementia, Parkinson's, and many more, benefit from all chair tap dance has to offer.