Impromptu
83-year-old man walks by electronic dance festival and shows off his moves
I had so much fun just watching him move to the music. His energy is on point.
B.T. Swezey
04.01.22

We’ve all heard the expression, “You’re only as old as you feel.” But what does that really mean?

For some, it’s simply stating that as long as you feel young, then you are young–no matter your age.

It may go deeper than that.

Pexels - Andrea Piacquadio
Source:
Pexels - Andrea Piacquadio

According to WebMD:

“Researchers found older people with positive views on aging were 44% more likely to recover fully after severe disability than those with negative views on aging.”

They also found that:

“People with positive attitudes about aging also had a slower decline in their ability to do daily tasks such as dressing and bathing.”

Pexels - MART PRODUCTION
Source:
Pexels - MART PRODUCTION

And how about dancing?

For one elderly Dutchman at an electronic festival in Haarlem, Netherlands, the prospect of being old didn’t seem to bother him much.

The Edit Dance festival is a major event that hosts international DJs and thousands of festival-goers from around the world.

Pexels - Mark Angelo Sampan
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Pexels - Mark Angelo Sampan

One of the festival-goers in attendance that day was an 83-year-old electronic music lover.

As you can see by the video below, this guy was feeling it.

And he didn’t hold back, either.

YouTube - Erwin Bakkum
Source:
YouTube - Erwin Bakkum

He isn’t shy at all!

Many people at dance festivals feel self-conscious about their dancing.

However, this man is a healthy reminder that it doesn’t matter how you dance, just as long as you are having fun.

You can see the man owning his little strip of concrete, stepping up and down it to the rhythms of the music and even throwing in a spin or two from time to time.

YouTube - Erwin Bakkum
Source:
YouTube - Erwin Bakkum

It’s amazing what this man can do!

However, as we read before, having a positive attitude on aging and life, in general, can make you much healthier as you get older.

Tara L. Stewart, Ph.D., is the assistant professor of psychology at Idaho State University.

She was quoted as saying:

“It’s not just about reducing the losses associated with aging, but also about making gains in one’s health or disability status and regaining what might have been lost. These people with positive stereotypes about aging experienced health gains and better recovery, not just a reduction of health losses.”

Pexels - Edu Carvalho
Source:
Pexels - Edu Carvalho

This guy certainly doesn’t seem to be concerned that he may very well be the oldest dancer in the crowd.

Of course, as we age, our bodies certainly do see various sorts of decline whether we feel young or not.

But healthy movement and healthy thoughts combined can be a huge factor in our long-term health as we age.

Just ask this 83-year-old as he dances along to some of his favorite music. The fun he’s having plus the movement of his body are keeping him just as young as he seems to feel.

He knows how to party.

YouTube - Erwin Bakkum
Source:
YouTube - Erwin Bakkum

Stewart reminds us:

“We need to emphasize some of the positive as we get older instead of focusing on the developmental losses that may happen with aging.”

We all get older, that’s a fact, but it doesn’t mean that we have to stop having fun.

Pexels - RODNAE Productions
Source:
Pexels - RODNAE Productions

See this awesome elderly Dutchman get down to some electronic music in the video below!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

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