An 80-year-old man has described how attending a rave festival with his daughter made him feel ageless, after more than 40 years without dancing. Brian F Nattrass, from Gibsons, British Columbia, Canada, wrote to the Guardian in response to an article about middle-aged women experiencing health benefits from raving.
Overcoming Ageism on the Dancefloor
Nattrass learned to dance in the late 1950s and 1960s, during the era of Elvis Presley and the Beatles. He used to love dancing and partied in clubs well into his late 30s, but had not danced in over 40 years. When his 37-year-old daughter invited him to a festival to celebrate his 80th birthday, he felt self-doubt and internalised ageism. However, he trusted his daughter, who encouraged him: 'Dad, you'll do great!'
At the festival, there were raves each night for three consecutive nights. Nattrass danced with total strangers until 4-5am every night. 'It was so incredibly fun. Feeling my body move to the beat was so tangible and felt so right, and it was so energising,' he said.
Dance Styles Stand the Test of Time
Initially, Nattrass feared that the dance style he learned 60 years ago in the age of rock would look outdated. 'But nope. Things on the dancefloor haven't changed that much,' he noted. Once he started dancing and felt the beat of the music, he completely forgot his age of 80 years; he became ageless. 'Dancing awakened a sense of physical vibrancy that I had forgotten. I definitely intend to rave on. It feels so good!'
Health Benefits for Older Ravers
Another reader, John Parry, 63, from Torremolinos, Spain, echoed the benefits. He goes clubbing or to festivals with dance stages about 10 times a year. 'The shared feelings of euphoria with polite and kind people from every generation far outweigh the tiredness the day after,' he wrote. Parry, who has ongoing rheumatoid arthritis, is thoroughly convinced of the extended health benefits of raving for six-ish hours. 'Leaving the club (or wherever) as dawn breaks just makes me feel completely alive. If you like dancing, go dancing. It's lovely.'
