Community Dance for Active Aging: A Narrative Review on Psychological Well-being of Older Adults

Author Information

Chengwei Hsieh, National Chi Nan University, Taiwan
Shihting Lai, National Taiwan University of Sport, Taiwan

Abstract

The global trend of population aging underscores the need for effective strategies to promote psychological well-being in older adults. In Taiwan, community dance programs have been widely adopted to foster active aging. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on their impact, utilizing a structured and feasible methodology. Literature was systematically sourced from Taiwanese master's and doctoral thesis repositories, Google Scholar, and the Airiti Library (2000–2025), using keywords including “community dance,” “older adults,” and “active aging.” Studies were included if they involved community-dwelling adults aged 65+ participating in local programs, while reviews and non-Taiwanese studies were excluded. Evidence was categorized according to the active aging framework—health, participation, security—and examined across qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods designs. The synthesis indicates that community dance participation is associated with improved mood, reduced loneliness, strengthened social connections, and enhanced cognitive function and self-efficacy. These outcomes align closely with active aging principles. The review concludes that community dance represents a promising, low-cost, and accessible public health intervention. By offering contextualized evidence, it informs policymakers, social workers, and activity coordinators in designing effective community-based programs that support holistic well-being and social integration in later life.

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