Adapted Tango Improves Mobility, Motor–Cognitive Function, and Gait but Not Cognition in Older Adults in Independent Living

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of adapted tango for improving mobility, motor-cognitive function, and gait; to determine whether former dance experience was associated with improvements; and to evaluate participant satisfaction, changes in depression, and quality of life. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental, two-group, repeated-measures preintervention, postintervention, and 3-month postintervention study. SETTING: Diverse senior independent living communities in an urban metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 59 to 95 (73% aged 80 and older; 31% nonwhite, 72% female) (N = 74). INTERVENTION: Participants were assigned to 20 sessions of 90-minute tango (n = 62) or health education (n = 12) classes over 12 weeks. MEASUREMENTS: Mobility, motor-cognitive function, gait, cognition, and psychosocial function were evaluated before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention. Two (groups) by two (before and after) repeated-measures analyses of variance with post hoc comparisons were used to evaluate differences in primary analyses. Secondary analyses from immediately after to 3 months after were used to examine the data for retention of any gains. RESULTS: Forty-four tango and 10 education participants completed 20 sessions. Significant group by time interactions revealed that tango improved mobility (P = .006), backward and fast gait speeds (P < .001), and motor-cognitive function (P = .03). Education improved depression (P = .001). No relationship was noted between previous dance experience and improvements. Gains were maintained 3 months after the intervention. CONCLUSION: Adapted tango may improve mobility, gait and motor-cognitive function more than health education classes in older adults. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings.