Seniors find joy in ballet

Beyond the Barre Dance Studio recently reached out to Wings of Inspiration Elderly Care Centre to teach the residents a few dance moves.

Ilse de Bruyn, of the dance studio, said she and her class assistant, Kaylin da Silva, offered a ballet class, where the residents learned to plié, degage and retiré.

“It was basic ballet moves that made some of the residents think back to their younger days, when they, themselves, took ballet as children,” she said.

She stated that with a soft spot for the elderly, they offered the class to commemorate Youth Day.

“It’s always the elderly who are left behind and forgotten, especially on days like Youth Day. Classes like this help them relive their younger days and cheer them up a bit.

Getting old is not easy, and many elderly fall into depression. Activities like ballet can give them a zest for life again.”

She added that this was the first class they offered at Wings of Inspiration, but they hope to have more in the future.