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AileyDance for Active Aging

About

AileyDance for Active Aging offers older adult dance classes that support strength, balance, and flexibility, providing cardiovascular and cognitive stimulation. This program also offers opportunities for participants to share their life stories and express them through movement.

This residency, created specifically for older adults in community centers and residential facilities, is designed to promote movement that can prevent injury due to inactivity or isolation, while encouraging participants to engage their imaginations and express their creativity. More than a fitness program, AileyDance for Active Aging serves as an outlet for artistic expression where participants generate choreography and cultivate their imaginations, building a greater sense of community and social engagement.    

AileyDance for Active Aging

AileyDance for Active Aging program at Rodney Kirk Center, NYC

AileyDance for Active Aging workshop at Rodney Kirk Center, NYC Photo by Max Guliani

AileyDance for Active Aging program at Hamilton Older Adult Center, NYC

AileyDance for Active Aging workshop at Hamilton Older Adult Center, NYC Photo by Cara Buchanan

AileyDance for Active Aging program at Rodney Kirk Center, NYC

AileyDance for Active Aging workshop at Rodney Kirk Center, NYC Photo by Max Guliani

AileyDance for Active Aging program at Hamilton Older Adult Center, NYC

AileyDance for Active Aging workshop at Hamilton Older Adult Center, NYC Photo by Cara Buchanan

Inside a Residency

Our Values 
  • Strong communication between Ailey Arts In Education staff and the staff of our partner organizations to ensure success for all participants 
  • Ongoing assessments to garner feedback from participants and administrative staff  
  • A life filled with creative engagement 
  • The belief that dance is for everyone  
Our Participants 

AileyDance for Active Aging residencies are for the following communities in older adult community centers and in residential, independent, and assisted living facilities for older adults:  

  • Adults age 50+ with and without caregivers  
  • Individuals with dementia and their caregivers 
What We Offer 
  • Initial planning with Ailey Arts In Education staff 
  • A planning meeting with the Ailey Teaching Artists and the administrative staff of the older adult center or residence 
  • A series of weekly dance classes (60 or 90 minutes) that become an outlet for artistic expression which cultivates one’s imagination to express personal life stories 
  • A culminating presentation with an invited audience of family and friends
  • Opportunities to see live performances 
  • History and background about Alvin Ailey and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater 
The Curriculum Framework
  • Classes consisting of a warm-up; a progression of stretching, strengthening, and dance phrases that cover a variety of movement qualities; and a cool-down 
  • Movement modifications for participants with mobility or balance challenges 
  • Visual and auditory support for participants as appropriate 
  • An introduction to basic dance elements and choreographic structures 
  • Verbal, written, and auditory prompts for movement to engage the imagination and stimulate memory and life stories 
  • Learning and creating movement phrases that allow for emotional expression and storytelling 
  • A playlist of participant-suggested musical selections 
  • Opportunities for caregiver and family engagement
An elderly woman with a name tag reading Madeline is smiling and dancing with two leaders wearing red shirts that say Flam Riley. One leader's name tag reads Aaron. They are all laughing and enjoying the moment. Other participants are seated in the background.

AileyDance for Active Aging Workshop with Participants in the NYU Family Support Program Photo by Nicole Tintle

Group of people dancing with arms raised in a bright room. Participants include seniors and younger individuals, all following the movements of leaders in red shirts. The leaders' shirts say Flam Riley, and one leader's name tag reads Aaron. Everyone is engaged and enjoying the activity.

AileyDance for Active Aging Workshop with Participants in the NYU Family Support Program Photo by Nicole Tintle

Group of people dancing with arms raised in a bright room. Two men in the foreground, wearing matching red shirts that say Flam Riley, lead the group. One man’s name tag reads Aaron. Participants of various ages and backgrounds follow their movements, smiling and enjoying the activity. A piano is visible in the background.

AileyDance for Active Aging Workshop with Participants in the NYU Family Support Program Photo by Nicole Tintle

Group of people dancing in a bright room. An elderly woman with white hair and glasses, wearing a black outfit and scarf, is holding hands with a younger woman in a gray shirt and jeans. The young woman's name tag reads Maria. Other participants, including a woman with a name tag reading Guadalupe, are visible in the background, all smiling and dancing.

AileyDance for Active Aging Workshop with Participants in the NYU Family Support Program Photo by Nicole Tintle

Seniors participating in an intergenerational dance party with the NYU Family Support Program. An elderly woman in the foreground, wearing glasses and a dark top, raises her arms with a focused expression. Other participants, including a man and woman in the background, are also engaged in the dance. The room is lively and filled with energy.

AileyDance for Active Aging Workshop with Participants in the NYU Family Support Program Photo by Nicole Tintle

Seniors participating in an intergenerational dance party with the NYU Family Support Program. A man named Norman, identified by his name tag, dances in the foreground, while other participants, including women named Reba and Shirley, smile and clap in the background. The room is bright and filled with natural light.

AileyDance for Active Aging Workshop with Participants in the NYU Family Support Program Photo by Nicole Tintle

Seniors in a seated dance class at Carnegie East, raising their arms in unison. An instructor in a purple Ailey T-shirt leads the class from the front. The room is well-lit with large windows, and several participants use walkers or are seated in chairs.

AileyDance for Active Aging at Carnegie East Photo by Nicole Tintle

Seniors participating in a seated dance class at Carnegie East, raising their arms and smiling. Some participants are standing while others remain seated, all engaging in the movements. The room has a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

AileyDance for Active Aging at Carnegie East Photo by Nicole Tintle

Seniors participating in a lively dance class at Penn South, led by an instructor in a purple Ailey T-shirt and colorful skirt, and another instructor in an orange Alvin Ailey hoodie and camo pants. The participants are smiling and engaged in dance movements, with some attendees watching from their seats. The room is brightly lit with overhead lighting.

AileyDance for Active Aging Percussion Lecture Demonstration at Penn South Photo by Nicole Tintle

A group of seniors participating in a dance class at Penn South, led by an instructor in a purple Ailey T-shirt and colorful skirt. The seniors are smiling and actively engaged in the dance movements. The room is bright with overhead lighting, and some attendees are seated, watching the demonstration.

AileyDance for Active Aging Percussion Lecture Demonstration at Penn South Photo by Nicole Tintle

Past Participants

Organizations that have hosted an AileyDance for Active Aging program in the New York City metropolitan area.

Testimonials

“The best thing about this workshop was that the program was really good. The dancers were great. The entire program was well coordinated.”

PARTICIPANT FROM NYU LANGONE HEALTH FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM

“What I enjoyed most about AileyDance for Active Aging was the joy, laughter, friendship, euphoria, happiness, and excitement!”

PARTICIPANT FROM JAMES LENOX HOUSE

“I loved this class. It gave me something to look forward to. I loved expressing and working out life's complications through dance. The exercise was great and low impact.”

PARTICIPANT FROM NEW SETTLEMENT COMMUNITY CENTER
AileyDance for Active Aging program at Rodney Kirk Center, NYC

CONTACT US

Interested in hosting a residency for the older adults in your community? Reach out and we’ll work with you to tailor a residency that fits your needs.
Contact us

SPONSORS

AileyDance for Active Aging (50+) curriculum was developed with support from AARP. 

logo of AARP

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. 

NYC Cultural Affairs Logo

Additional support for the AileyDance for Active Aging program has been provided by the Manhattan Borough President’s Office in partnership with the Department for the Aging. 

Just looking for a class?

If a residency isn’t quite what you’re looking for, Ailey Extension offers a wide variety of dance classes both in-person and online for all ages and experience levels. 
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