Have you ever seen a fat dancer? It is highly unlikely as dancers are fit, in shape people from their rigorous exercise. Here are some examples of those who benefitted from dancing: FRED ASTAIRE (1899-1987): Fred lived to be 88 and was slim and trim his whole life. He did specials on television in the 1950's exhibiting his dancing prowess and as late as 1968 at age 69 he danced in the movie "Finian’s Rainbow". JAMES CAGNEY (1899-1986): Jimmy Cagney was a song and dance man in vaudeville before he entered the movies. He never did much dancing in films except for "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942) where he played showman George M. Cohan and his reprisal of the Cohan role in 1955 for "The Seven Little Foys" at age 56. He did, however, do a lot of dancing in his later years to keep fit. GEORGE MURPHY (1902-1992). Murphy hoofed his way through many films with the best of them, became a U. S. Senator, and lived to be 90. FAYARD NICHOLAS (1914-2006): Recently died at 91, was half of The Nicholas Brothers dance act, the most acrobatic I have ever seen. GENE KELLY (1912-1996): Kelly was one of the best, could do any dance, lived to 84. Want more proof about the benefits of dancing? How about those two great dance teachers, ARTHUR MURRAY (1895-1991) and his wife KATHRYN MURRAY (1906-1999). I think these are some good examples of how dancing may increase one’s life span.
Whether it’s the Carioca, the fox trot or a polka, just dance, dance, dance! (Comments, Questions? Go to jmcallister.blogspot.com or azjimmcallister@cox.net)