95-year-old woman still teaching tap dancing

By Filipa Gaspar

A woman is still teaching tap dancing at age 95, despite having a heart problem and two hip replacements.

Joy Saunders has been doing tap since she was eight and is still teaching a class at Penzance YMCA every week.

She started dancing when she was advised by doctors to give it a try as she used to fall over "a lot" and it could help bring strength to her legs.

Despite her biggest passion being ballet, she quickly became interested in tap dancing.

Over the decades, Saunders taught this style of dancing to many children at schools.

And while she had been forced to stop at points in her life, she always got back to it - and is now teaching a class of elderly women.

Saunders, who lives in Penzance, Cornwall, said: "I really like teaching. I enjoy the movements and it helps keep you fit.

"I have two artificial hips and a heart problem - but I still love to dance.

"Other troubles you have, they just melt away because you are concentrating on the moves and I like to make little dances and put on some music."

Saunders used to live Redditch, Worcestershire and was working in hospitality but would dance in the evenings to get qualified as a teacher.

In her early 20s she got her tap dancing qualifications to teach.

And over the decades, she taught pupils how to tap dance in an ordinary school in central Birmingham.

Fifteen years ago Saunders moved to Penzance with a friend who wanted to retire there.

But her friend eventually became ill and passed away.

Saunders said: "I made so many friends down here and I didn't want to go back to the Midlands."

She wanted a hobby and had people asking her to teach tap dancing after noticing her skills and so she started teaching tap dancing YMCA in Penzance.

She teaches once per week and practices every day at her home in the kitchen because it has got a "nice floor to dance on."

She added, "I didn't have much to do. It is mainly for health reasons.

"It is very good for you, it helps your balance and keeps all your joints moving. I’m a great believer of moving and not looking at four walls.

"I just keep going. There is lots of nice people who come and they are in their 70s and 80s.

"I don't need a walking aid I can still walk very well and I'm not giving up."

Helen Wilson-Prowse, Head of Operations at YMCA Cornwall, said, "Joy has been making use of our room hire facilities for many years and is an absolute delight.

"She is an inspirational lady who brings music, laughter and friendship every week and we love having her and her students here."