We Are Care To Dance!

Care to Dance is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization encouraging those with cognitive and physical challenges to progress or maintain through ballroom dance and music. It is an exciting opportunity to increase quality of life and improve cognitive abilities, self-esteem and physical fitness. The number of those with Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is expected to triple in the next 40 years. It is estimated that over 5.7 million Americans aged 65 and older have Alzheimer's disease with that number to triple to over 14 million by 2050. Currently 1 in 3 seniors die with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia. We provide a thoughtful coping mechanism of music and dance to trigger "reminiscing therapy" to address a very real epidemic. A 21-year study by The Albert Einstein College of Medicine and published by The New England Journal of Medicine surprisingly revealed that the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia is frequent dancing with a 76% impact on its participants. Crossword puzzles is at 47%, reading is at 35% and golf, swimming and bicycling are at 0%. All types of dances are demonstrated to familiar songs. Dancing increases cognitive acuity at any age with associated mental and cardiovascular rewards. The Care to Dance program empowers, volunteers, residents and donors in unimaginable ways.

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The program is led by an experienced dance instructor and a cohesive family of trained volunteers to insure that anyone attending has the opportunity and is encouraged to participate. The Care to Dance program began in 2014 with 5 volunteers and has grown to over 30 volunteers dancing over 30 choreographed dances. Our volunteers speak 6 languages including english, french, german, arabic, spanish and korean and hail from over 10 countries. Whether the program attendee is a resident in an assisted living facility suffering from any form of dementia or an autistic child in school, everyone benefits from the high-energy and interactive one-hour Care to Dance show.  We have attended small dance competitions and have performed over 150 shows to over 3,000 residents and children in over 50 facilities and organizations with the help of over 40 kind and caring dance volunteers. We have even performed themed shows for the residents to enjoy such as Grease, The King and I, Cinco de Mayo and many others with a very special Christmas show in which Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus are special surprise guests. We are currently creating a military medley tribute that will make you swell with patriotism. While the medical experts work to find a cure for Alzheimer's, we do our part to help people cope with it until that cure is found.