Ted, 95, Rekindles Love of Dancing

Ted, 95, who lives at Colten Care’s Avon Cliff in Bournemouth, attended dance classes as a teenager and young man, including in Germany during his army service.

His passion for dance, particularly tap, continued and he met his late wife dancing, with the couple frequenting dance halls together.

When the Avon Cliff Companionship team asked Ted if he would like to go back on the floor and have a go, he was only too pleased.

They arranged for him to attend a class affectionately known as Happy Tappy’s which takes place weekly at St Mark’s Church in Ferndown.

Ted began by watching fellow members – all ladies, some of whom have been attending the class for more than 30 years – get started before donning a pair of tap shoes and joining in.

Companionship Team Leader Elise said: “The group started with some basic steps seated in a circle to get warmed up then it was time for the full, classic tap glitz and glamour.”

Former professional dancer Yvonne, now a teacher who leads the class, handed out bowler hats and canes and arranged the dancers into an ‘old Hollywood-style’ chorus line which Ted was the centre of.

Yvonne said: “From the moment Ted put on the tap shoes his feet took over. Dance and music really lift your mood and it did just that. Ted really had ‘happy feet’. He was beaming from ear to ear as he joined in tapping and clapping away.”

“The experience was great,” said Ted. “I enjoyed watching the class dance and getting stuck in myself. Wearing a pair of tap shoes for the first time in years was a strange but amazing feeing, I had a job getting them on but once they were on, I was away.

I loved hearing the sound under my feet and tapping along with the rhythm of the music. Everyone at the class was so welcoming and I felt like a star.’