Corinne Rungo, founder of DanceFit Visits RadioStPete's "Lunchtime Conversations" 2024

In RadioStPete INSIDER’s newest series, Live Life Better, news director interviewed Corinne Rungo, founder of DanceFit and a performer/dancer who believes that dance and music enhance mind/body/spirit at every age. From ballroom to boogie, dancing is all the rage for seniors to millennials both for the fun and fitness benefits.  At Rungo Dance Depot in downtown Clearwater, you’ll find Corinne Rungo teaching classes, hosting socials, performing with some students at events and fundraisers and just having the time of their life. Looking confident and having fun, the students from 15 to 85 rumba and waltz, foxtrot and hustle with Rungo as their cheerleader and patient instructor.  Rungo has been dancing and teaching dance for 25 years and opened the Rungo Dance Depot almost nine months ago after teaching classes all over Pinellas County. She touts the benefits of dance for all ages but believes it’s the magic elixir for aging well. One of her students, 91, came to her because his grief counselor suggested that dance would be great therapy. Says Rungo about the benefits of dancing for seniors: “It’s great exercise for the muscles and heart, strengthens the core, reduces risk of falls and exercises the brain. Seniors who dance regularly must memorize movements and routines and react in the moment, especially when dancing with partners. It integrates all three modalities-mind/body/spirit, and you use all your senses – eyes, ears, touch…it’s rejuvenating, being mindful in the present. Dance stimulates, and the added social interaction keeps active seniors young at heart.”  Rungo agrees that dance and music heal and soothes the soul, and for seniors, may just be the right fun, fit activity for just about everybody. It’s growing popularity she says, may be boosted by TV hit Dancing With The Stars where unlikely stars such as Warren Sapp bewitched new audiences. “It showcases the power of touch -- power of dancing with someone and an intimacy in the world has diminished relationships (romantic, family and friends) hijacked by our devices. Instead of hiding behind our device, dancing rekindles the personal connections we are losing to the devices, that’s why you are seeing a new generation falling in love with ballroom dances and competing, as well as seniors.” There’s a dance class for every age and level at Clearwater Dance Depot where you can sweat, learn, burn and stretch.  Her Rungo Dance Fit was created 28 years ago when “I couldn't find a Zumba teacher who could count music,” she laughs. RungoDance.com #rungodancefit #Corinne Rungo #nanettewiser #tampabay #radio #radiostpete