In 2024, Oklahoma Senior Games added ballroom dance to its extensive list of competitions.
“Even though our first year was small, the competition brought many skill levels together for an exciting event,” Event Director Gina Bramlett said. “We had new people who took lessons through the TSET program all the way up through advanced level Gold Dancers who have been competing for many years.”
Gina says that the beauty of ballroom dance is anyone can do it.
“If you have two feet, you can dance!” she said.
She explained that ballroom dance is basically walking to music.
“It doesn’t matter how tall or short you are or how much you weigh,” she said. “Can everyone be a champion dancer? No, but everyone can enjoy basic ballroom dance.”
Gina said she can’t promote ballroom dance enough because it exercises the entire body.
“Your mind is working; you’re holding your arms up and improving upper body strength. Your legs are working, and you’re building stamina,” she said. “Everyone who takes ballroom dance lessons develops better posture.”
Ballroom is not just a single dance. The Samba, Cha Cha, Rumba, Foxtrot, Waltz, and West Coast Swing are just a few of the many types of ballroom dances. They are all as unique and individual as the people who dance them. Who are some of the dancers that competed in this year’s competition and when did they begin dancing? Let’s find out.
Betty Norman
A retired Air Force veteran and former Amazon dock worker, Betty began her dance journey as a child studying ballet at her mother’s insistence. But everything changed the day she glimpsed a couple performing the Viennese Waltz.
“They were like a Princess and Prince Charming,” she said. “After I saw that, it was ‘Bye-Bye Ballet!’”
After retiring and relocating to Oklahoma, Betty rekindled her dance passion and now competes two to three times a year. Her favorites? The Rhumba and the Foxtrot.
“It’s happy and flirty,” she said. “Ballroom dance is the perfect excuse to put on something fancy and dress like a princess.”
Len Cason
A 77-year-old practicing attorney, Len first took dance lessons with his wife for a cruise. After that, they were hooked. Now, it’s a permanent fixture of his life.
“My wife asked me, ‘Haven’t you learned everything there is to learn?’ I told her, ‘I just want to get even better,’” he said.
A competitor at heart, Len trains rigorously—lifting weights, boxing, and dancing multiple times a week. He’s drawn to the intensity of Latin dances and West Coast Swing. He thinks dancing helps with his balance and mental focus and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.
“I’m going to work and dance until I can’t,” he said. “I have no intentions of ever retiring.”
Janet Crawford
Retired from a health insurance company, Janet came to ballroom dance from a different dancing background: Square Dancing, Two-Stepping, and Line Dance. Ballroom dance had always looked interesting to her, and she decided to try it through the TSET program. She was surprised to discover how out of shape she felt at first but found joy in the challenge.
“I love the art of expression in dance,” she said. “I love to learn new dances and ballroom was perfect for that.”
Even better, she discovered new friendships, one with a neighbor who lived just a few houses away, which she said they likely wouldn’t have met otherwise.
Janet practices her dance steps by herself at home.
“That makes it much easier later on when I’m with a partner,” Janet said. “I find it so rewarding when I accomplish a new dance.”
Doris Armstrong
A 20-year ballroom dance veteran, Doris sought to stay mentally and physically sharp. She quickly discovered that dance did both.
“Learning choreography improved my coordination, focus, and memory recall,” she said.
Doris now competes at the highest level—Gold—and keeps a full schedule with weekly lessons, practice parties, Cardio Dance, Jazzercise, and gym sessions. Her favorites include the Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, and West Coast Swing.
“I pursue dance like there’s no end in sight,” she said. “To me, ballroom dance is as individual as two people are.”
All of these people are excellent and committed ballroom dancers. Do you see yourself in any of these folks? There’s one more person we want to highlight. Many of you will probably be able to relate to our final dancer. If you’re having health issues such as knee or hip problems, maybe this guy’s story can show you all is not lost if you’re interested in learning to ballroom dance.
Jim Smith
A retired human resource professional, Jim has always considered himself a physical conditioning and nutrition freak. Now 81, he is a lifelong athlete with a background in football, basketball, and weightlifting. Through all of this, he developed serious knee problems that eventually led to dual knee replacements. But it was ballroom dance that reignited his spirit.
Jim lost his wife about 13 years back, and 8 years ago he met a woman who was a dancer. She convinced him to give ballroom dance a try.
“I immediately fell completely in love with it,” he said. “Sadly, my relationship with this woman who introduced me to dance didn’t last but my love of ballroom dance is still very much with me today.”
Before long he was dancing six days per week and competing all over the country several times a year. In May of 2021, the pain in his knees was too much, so he elected to have the knee surgeries. He was back to dancing within 90 days.
Jim said his favorite ballroom dance changes as he becomes more proficient at a dance. Then that one becomes his current favorite. He’s always looking for ways to improve.
“To me, ballroom dance is so exhilarating, and I’ve got great knees,” he said. “Why would I even think about stopping!”
There have been studies that show dancing, particularly ballroom dancing, slows dementia and helps with coordination and balance. Hopefully you can now see the many benefits of learning to ballroom dance.
Maybe you should give it a try!
