The Effectiveness of Waltz Dance in Improving Balance Performance and Reducing Risk of Falls in Older Adult Community Dwellers

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a waltz dance program in improving balance performance and reducing the risk of falls among older adult community dwellers in Barangay 399, Sampaloc, Manila. A Single Subject Research Design (SSRD) was utilized involving 2-3 participants aged 60–85 years old who met the inclusion criteria. Balance performance and fall risk were measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) before and after the interventions. Participants first underwent standard balance exercises followed by a waltz dance intervention, each conducted for two weeks, three times per week.

Results showed that participants generally maintained their baseline SPPB scores across both interventions. Statistical analysis using the Mann–Whitney U test revealed no significant difference between pretest and posttest scores in both the control (standard exercise) and experimental (waltz dance) phases (p = 0.519). These findings indicate that the waltz dance program did not significantly improve balance performance nor reduce the risk of falls among the participants.

The study concludes that while waltz dance may serve as an alternative and engaging physical activity, it was not effective in producing significant improvements under the conditions of this study. Limitations such as small sample size and short intervention duration may have influenced the results. Future studies are recommended to involve larger samples and longer intervention periods to better evaluate the effectiveness of dance-based interventions.

Keywords: Waltz Dance; Balance Performance; Risk of Falls; Older Adults; Community Dwellers; Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB); Fall Prevention; Physical Therapy Intervention

Citation

Angelo De Vera AJ. The Effectiveness of Waltz Dance in Improving Balance Performance and Reducing Risk of Falls in Older Adult Community Dwellers. WebLog J Phys Ther Rehabil. wjptr.2026.f1101. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20949368