Hip-hop dance participation and cognitive, gait, and muscle mass outcomes in community-dwelling older adults: a multi-site longitudinal study

Background Dance-based interventions show promise for maintaining function in older adults, but long-term effects on body composition remain unclear. This study examined the effects of a hip-hop dance program on cognitive function, gait, and muscle mass over up to 3 years. Methods This multi-site longitudinal study included 102 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 74.2 years, 93% female) from six sites in Japan. The dance group ( n = 74) participated in weekly hip-hop dance sessions and competed in the FIDA GOLD CUP, a competition for older adults. Controls ( n = 28) maintained usual activities. Outcomes included cognitive function (MMSE, MoCA visuospatial), gait parameters, physical function, and body composition (SMI, segmental lean mass, BMI). Linear mixed models examined group × time interactions, and ANCOVA with permutation tests compared change scores in participants with complete data ( n = 59). Results Significant group × time interactions favoring the dance group were observed for MMSE ( β = 0.58 points/year, p = 0.007) and MoCA visuospatial ( β = 0.27/year, p = 0.023). Gait improved through temporal parameters: left contact time decreased ( β = −0.018 s/year, p = 0.005) and gait speed increased ( β = 0.065 m/s/year, p = 0.031), while stride length remained unchanged ( p = 0.243). Right hip abduction strength ( β = 1.22 kg/year, p = 0.016) and right single-leg stance time ( β = 10.3 s/year, p = 0.026) improved. However, the dance group showed greater decline in skeletal muscle mass index ( β = −0.064 kg/m 2 /year, p = 0.020) and leg segmental lean mass (left: β = −0.108 kg/year, p < 0.001; right: β = −0.088 kg/year, p = 0.004), while BMI remained unchanged ( p = 0.949). ANCOVA confirmed these patterns for cognition, gait, and body composition outcomes. Conclusion Hip-hop dance participation was associated with better preservation of cognitive function and more favorable gait-related change, characterized by enhanced temporal control rather than increased stride length. Specifically, reduced contact time and faster cadence suggest rhythm-based motor learning as the underlying mechanism. However, dance participation alone was not sufficient to prevent age-related muscle loss, indicating the need for combined interventions incorporating resistance training and adequate protein intake.