39. Dancing as you age with Jan Bolwell
From Learning How To Be Old by Rachel McAlpine
December 29, 2025 · 28 min · Season 4 · Episode 39
About this episode
The episode discusses the importance and joy of dancing as one ages, featuring insights from Jan Bolwell, a leader in the dance community for older adults.
Dancing as you age is starting to get traction as a belief. Silver Swans, social dancing, old time dancing, Barre — multiple groups for older dancers are spreading throughout the world. Diversity in dance finally includes old people dancing, even in public! Cancer nudged one-time dance educator Jan Bolwell out of her job and into a new life as a dancer, playwright, actor. For the last 26 years she's been the legendary leader of the Crows Feet Dance Collective. These women over 35 dance every week for a new show every year. I've been a member for 20 of those years. We're a mixed bunch when it comes to training (from zero to professional) and skills, but we all dance for the love of it. Abilities change with age and that's OK At 86 my difficulties with memory, slow reflexes and balance are becoming obvious, but there's usually still a place for me in the back row. Many members are in their beautiful prime of life but others have sore knees, sore backs, osteoporosis... Stop me, you get the picture. Jan and other empathetic choreographers (including , this year, Anna Groves, Carolyn McKeefry, Tania Kopytko and Sacha Copland) bind us together into a community, tightly knit as friends…
People in this episode
Host: Rachel McAlpine
Guest: Jan Bolwell
Topics covered
- aging
- dance
- community
- health
- self-expression
- creativity
Keywords
- dancing
- aging
- Crows Feet Dance Collective
- community
- health
- self-expression
- Barre
- social dancing
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Crows Feet Dance Collective
More episodes of Learning How To Be Old
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- 49. Sobriety in old age with Lotta Dann · May 18, 2026 · 24 min
- 48. The face of old age (replay) · May 5, 2026 · 28 min
- 47. Timeless, ageless gardening with Lesley and Richard Evans · April 21, 2026 · 25 min
- What’s a podcast? · April 15, 2026
- 46. A curious centenarian role model · April 7, 2026 · 24 min
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