ChampionsGate senior, 91, has dance fever

Jeannette Dunstan has a ball when she dances.

Dunstan, a decorated competitive ballroom dancer, at age 91, is a resident at senior living community The Glades at ChampionsGate.

Dunstan, who dazzled in a blue gown on Aug. 18, gracefully floated around the floor during a special event at The Glades to celebrate residents’ birthdays – including her own. She turned 91 on Aug. 16.

“It was very nice,” Dunstan said of The Glades event. “I got a lot of compliments and they said my partner was handsome.”

Dunstan danced with partner and instructor Eddie Rivera of Dance It Studio in Orlando, who she has been with for 13 years.

“It’s amazing, wonderful,” Rivera said. “I met her when she was 78. I didn’t know she wanted to get serious into dancing. And then I learned she has so much talent.”

And her talent speaks for itself. Dunstan has participated in ballroom dancing competitions with Rivera locally, nationally and internationally, including in Las Vegas, Argentina and Cuba. She has won numerous awards at these competitions.

So what started her affection for dancing? Her husband, William, belonged to the Shriners, and together, they attended many organizational banquets. They noticed a lot of the couples at the Shriner functions knew how to do different dances that they did not.

“We decided we were going to do that,” Dunstan said.

But then, William became ill, and passed away in 2008.

“Now, I have another life to live,” she recalled thinking. “So, I decided to do something.”

Did ballroom dancing come easy to her?

“No,” she said laughing. “You work at it.”

Dunstan, who attributed her dancing success to Rivera, practices once a week, and doesn’t plan on quitting anytime soon.

“As long as my legs hold out,” she said.

Ballroom dancing is the best exercise, Dunstan’s physician told her. You need great memory, be sturdy and strong and you “have to move,” she said.

Age is evidently just a number when it comes to her ability, and Dunstan said anyone can do it.