A POPULAR dance from the streets of Mexico has been shown to improve the behaviour and mood of people with dementia.

Danzon, a simple-to-follow Latin ballroom-style dance enjoyed in Mexico, has been brought to North-East care homes by Dr Azucena Guzman Garcia, as part of her PhD research at Newcastle University.

Through short, twice-weekly dance classes, residents were introduced to some simple steps allowing them to dance together to uplifting Danzon music.

The lessons bring together cognitive, behavioural and emotional functions which aim to increase a person’s ability to dance, enjoy music and social interaction.

Publishing in the Dementia Journal of Social Science and Practice, Dr Guzman Garcia reveals how the dance she knows from growing up in Mexico is helping people with dementia.

“While dancing is often considered entertainment in care homes, I believe that it can be useful practice,” said Dr Guzman Garcia, who now works at the Dementia Research Centre, in London.

“I found that these dance classes helped calm agitation and improved mood and quality of life for people with dementia.

“There are also obvious advantages in terms of physical fitness. I witnessed the joy people got from taking part in the dancing and for residents who were watching, the laughter and happy memories it generated.”

Originating in England in the 17th Century, the Danzon style was popular during Jane Austen’s era before spreading to other countries. It still survives in Mexico. Dr Guzman Garcia designed a programme with each dance session lasting about 30 minutes and involving a warm-up, Danzon practice, free-style dancing and a cool-down.

Staff at Rosewood Villa Residential Home, in Throckley, Newcastle, where the classes were trialled, said there had been a noticeable improvement in socialising and interaction, and that it gave family members a chance to join in.

Proprietor Mary Watson said: “We could see how much people enjoyed the dancing and it brought back some lovely memories which they were able to share with us of when they were younger.

“We found that the men wanted to join in with the dancing and this is important to us as it can be harder to find activities that they want to take part in. On the days when the dancing was on, the men made an effort to dress smartly and told us how they were looking forward to it which was really nice.”