Social Dance The Successful Aging The Practice of Health, Happiness and Social Inclusion Amongst Senior Citizens

This article presents findings from a qualitative study of social dancing for successful aging amongst senior citizens in three locales: in Blackpool (GB), around Belfast (NI), and in Sacramento (US). Social dancers are found to navigate an intense space in society, one of wellbeing accompanied by a beneficial sense of youthfulness. Besides such renewal and self-actualisation, findings also attest to the perceived social, psychological and health benefits of social dancing amongst senior citizens. They also articulate three different social dancing practices: social dance as tea dance (Sacramento), social dance as practice dance (Blackpool), social dance as motility (Belfast and environs).