A thriving community aerobic dance/fitness program, Dancercise, in force since 1991, was the result of a community health grant, and designed to reduce addictive behaviors and loneliness in adults and seniors. Exercise, especially rhythmic exercise which primes flow, is one of the main levers of wellbeing, maximizing physical and mental fitness. Since 2008 positive psychology tools, and Seligman’s, 2010, PERMA theory of flourishing, were applied in the Dancercise group fitness programming, to complement the physical training. PERMA: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement, along with character strengths education, spotting and activation were integrated into the teaching.
Aims: To add applied positive psychology to physical activity training with the hope of reducing stigma and decrements around aging, and while encouraging health/fitness, positive community, positive determination, and both physical and character strengths.
Methods: Research participants were randomly selected from a larger pool of dance-exercisers who attended the one hour Dancercise class, twice or thrice weekly for 5 – 17 years. Qualitative research using a phenomenological approach, looked at the lived experiences of the participants, using semi-structured interviews with participants, family members, and then analyzing data via coding and triangulation.