Research

Mixed

Participation in community-based social dancing (ballroom or folk) for 12 months reduces fall incidence and improves cognitive function in older adults, with efficacy potentially matching or exceeding standard balance training.

Older adults can reduce their risk of falling by joining community social dance classes (like ballroom or folk) twice a week. This activity improves balance, cognitive function, and social engagement, offering a sustainable alternative to repetitive exercise routines.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
This study aims to determine whether participation in social dancing: i) reduces the number of falls; and ii) improves cognitive functions associated with fall risk in older people.
Dafna Merom et al. · BMC Public Health · 2013

Why this rating

This is a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial; results are not yet published, relying on prior small-scale RCTs for mechanism validation.

Source

Can social dancing prevent falls in older adults? a protocol of the Dance, Aging, Cognition, Economics (DAnCE) fall prevention randomised controlled trial

Dafna Merom et al. · BMC Public Health · 2013

DOI 10.1186/1471-2458-13-477

rct · n=500Cited 184×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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