This octogenarian tapped into his jazzy side with a newfound hobby.
Arne Mayala, an 85-year-old Navy veteran, took up tap dancing last month at a studio in Minnesota, checking an item off his bucket list, according to Today.com.
Robin Lind, the studio owner, says that entering the world of tap at Mayala's age reminds us all of an important lesson.
"You're never too old to pursue your dreams," Lind told Today.com.
The 85-year-old has long appreciated the dance style, being a big fan of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movies, Mayala's wife Carol told KARE11. So when he and his wife passed the studio on the way to an accounting firm, his wife convinced him to learn some moves himself.
While he took a bit of a fall on the day of his first class, dancing seemed to pick his spirits right up.
“It just really touched my heart in seeing him go from having a bad day and what dance can do,” Lind told KARE11.
Mayala now makes weekly trips to the studio, traveling 40 miles to pursue his new passion. He's been sharpening his skills at the studio and Lind says Mayala and his wife have been a pleasure to have at the facility, according to Today.com.
"It's been such a joy getting to know them," Lind told the outlet. "Today I found out how Arne and Carol met … He spotted her across the room at a bar and asked her to dance. So they actually met dancing. No wonder she was excited for him to learn!"
His can-do attitude has even extended past the walls of Dance Tech Studios. Lind was so inspired, she started a program at her mother's assisted-living facility. It turns out that there are a lot of other seniors who, like Mayala, are interested in getting into the groove.
"They just want to move," said Lind said of the senior citizens, according to Today. "They want to have fun. I was told it was the largest turnout the center had ever had at an event."
Lind told Kare11 that dance is just another way to bring joy to people of all ages.
“We all just want to feel special and important in some way."
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