Changing Lives through Dancing by David Woodbury
Arthur Murray Dance Studio Santa Monica
Next year marks two major milestones in my life. In September 2026 I turn 70 years old and in October I have my 50th Year Anniversary as a professional with Arthur Murray Dance Studios! I started as a student in 1975, pro in 1976.
This is all very exciting to me and I am humbled and full of gratitude for all these great years. Time has flown by and I have a lifetime of great memories from dancing and my Arthur Murray family.
I think that I look good for my age, especially after my 70-pound recent weight loss. I also know that I am not 20 years old anymore. As the New Student Counselor in our studio, I have the privilege of enrolling all the new students. It is a job that truly love, and I love meeting and assisting all the new students with their dancing journeys.
Many times, when I am walking around our school on a busy day, I introduce myself as the co-owner to unfamiliar faces. I love to welcome and encourage all our beginning students.
In the last few years, I have been asked this question “Do you dance? Or do you still dance?” At first, I was startled. Then I was taken back a bit, not knowing how to respond. Did I look to old to dance? Did I not look like a dancer? What made them ask me that?
For a while, needing humor, I would say “I am in charge of the supplies in the studio, I answer the phones, and I assist the staff and students”. One time, a woman who owned several businesses laughed when I answered her like this and she responded, “You are the owner then!” We had a good laugh and I remember her well.
Do I still dance, why yes! I love to dance all the dances and I love to still be on the floor when an exhibition is called for. I love partnership dancing from Salsa, to Swing, or Tango and Ballroom dancing.
I love the benefits of dancing. Good balance, great exercise, ease of movement and agility. The social benefits of dancing with partners. The mental benefits of remembering and leading groups of various steps in many dances. The partnership and connection of social dancing.
The sheer joy of dancing and feeling the music on a dance floor where others are all in the same mind, in tune with the same music and dance at the same time. There’s nothing quite like it.
Now, I am an advocate for older senior dancers. We are overlooked and not always recognized. We are still great dancers and we have lifetimes of dancing under our belts. We can often out dance and out last younger dancers who stop too early and enjoy too little. We have style, experience, and a wonderful sense of movement on the floor. Plus, we love every moment on the dance floor.
I believe that while we are dancing, time stops. As we continue to dance, time reverses and we get younger and younger. It is the truest elixir of youth.
On cruise a few years ago, we were dancing in one of the clubs on Disco/Hustle night.
The music was excellent, and we were all dancing our hearts out. I looked around and viewed all the couples on the floor. These great hustle dancers, and all the couples were old. I started laughing as many of them were younger that I was!
The truth is that we were all bada## dancers on the disco floor. We were all again young as we did the Hustle on the dance floor. Everyone was smiling and having fun, and I realized that all these couples had been dancing the Hustle since the 70’s. I saw some amazing dancers and dancing. My eyes opened, we’re all young-at-heart as we boogied on the dance floor.
If you are 40, 50, 60 or older, come in and dance. You’ll find that you are better than you think and that you can become a very good dancer. You’ll find that you are naturally good at dancing and that you have a lot of natural skills to draw from.
After you become accomplished as a dancer, one day someone will come up to you and say “Do you Dance?” and you will be able to say, “Hell yes, I can DANCE!”
Keep a pep in your step and as long as you can move, keep on dancing!
Thank you for reading and Keep on Dancing!
“Dance & Thrive in ‘25”
David Woodbury