Age Ain't Nothing but a Number

[pygmalion]

In response to the many 289 and holding comments I got on my last week :lol: I've gotten curious about ballroom dancers -- and just how old and young they can be. I found a couple interesting references on the web.

This one talks about a 54 year old man and his 81 year old uncle, both avid ballroom dancers. http://www.mantecabulletin.com/articles/2004/02/13/news/news4.txt

This one talks about a 68 year old physicist who joined a college dance ballroom dance club. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/berkeleyan/1998/1209/dance.html

This one talks about William Pino and Alessandra Bucciarelli, who started dancing at 10 years old. http://www.danceuniverse.co.kr/news/pino.htm

Hmm. So it looks like ballroom dance is truly a sport for all ages. Hmm. What have you seen, in terms of the extremes? The really young and the really senior, I mean.

[SDsalsaguy]

...William Pino and Alessandra Bucciarelli, who started dancing at 10 years old.
Umm, I haven't had a chance to follow the link yet but, unless I'm remembering wrong, they actually started years earlier than that (at age six I think) and "only" started together at age 10. :wink:

[pygmalion]

I'm quoting their interview responses. Who knows. The couple or the writer may have simplified their responses for interview purposes -- especially if they started at different ages. The article was billed as being about him, with the usual chauvinistic marginalization of the female partner. ( Oooh! My nasty and sarcastic side rears its ugly head. :twisted: :lol: ) So maybe he started at ten, but she started earlier.

[SDsalsaguy]

Well, thankfully my memory banks aren't as empty as my bank account! :lol:

From the opening of the linked article:
We started dancing in young age, about six years old, with different partners, obtaining good results, and winning a lot of compatitions, and some Italian Championships.

Really remarkable, isn't it? they've been dancing together since age 10!!! :shock:

[Sagitta]

Someone younger then 5 and someone older then 90. Age really ain't nothing but a number!! :)

[KevinL]

This month a mom brought her two sons with her to class. One is 19 the other is only 9. The 9 year old had some issues dancing with the adult women, they were all much taller than he was, so he couldn't lead some dances well.

Last summer I did a dance series at a senior center. One couple came to class because their children warned them that they were going to make the couple dance together at their 60th wedding anniversary. I'm not sure how old they were but you've got to figure at least 75...

Kevin

[pygmalion]

(An aside: Sorry I couldn't resist the quote from an old Aaliyah song. )


Yes, I've known two pretty young dancers -- one a kid who used to attend my studio. He started at age ten. And another kid locally whose Dad owns a dance studio. I'm not sure when he started dancing, but the first time I saw him dance, he was eleven, and oh my goodness, he could dance!

[Sabor]

dont know about ballroom, but in salsa there is a group called 'Royalty Salsa Kids' now these kids were criminally good.. made the old ones go like :shock: holyfajitas!! :notworth:

the oldest i've seen were a latino couple.. dont know exactly from where.. but they were at one of the salsa venues i frequent and the must have been at least mid-sixties.. and let me tell u they got the whole floor stop and watch them while cheering thru the whole of their dance.. they were awsome.. very little effort but with incredible effect.. not one slight move was waisted! they were flavor incarnate! i luved it! 8) made me feel good in hoping that i glide it that cool if i live that long :)

[Vince A]

I think I've mentioned this before, but we know a man who just started dancing in 2003 . . . . he is in his 80s. His motivation? His great grandson, age 16, who qualified in WCS to compete at the World's competitions . . .