17 Nov 2025

The moves may be graceful and the attire elegant, but behind the glitz of ballroom dancing lies a full-body workout that boosts physical fitness, strengthens social connections and builds lasting self-confidence.

Every Saturday and Sunday, as the day eases into mid-afternoon, an inclusive group of enthusiastic ballroom dancers aged between 21 and 80 gather at the Botswana National Productivity Centre and the Institute of Development Management in Gaborone.

For an hour, they reap the benefits of movement and music under the guidance of Moonlight Dance Studio, a professional Latin and ballroom dance institution dedicated to promoting wellness, creativity and self-expression through dance. 

The studio is led by coach and founder, Alex Kgwedi. For Kgwedi, dance is one of the best forms of exercise for both body and mind, something that middle-aged and senior adults deserve to be part of just as much as anyone else.

 “When I started Moonlight Dance Studio, I realised that many adults love music and movement but often feel that dance is for the young," said Kgwedi, who has been coordinating the sessions for five years, producing a tight knit family of dancers who attend regularly and support each other.

For him, that realisation pushed him to create a space where adults could rediscover the joy of dancing and reconnect with themselves, while staying active in a fun and social way.

Among the adults, is a 40-year-old participant who for privacy reasons, asked to be identified only as ‘Daniella’. Precisely three years ago, Daniella, felt like something was missing in her life.

Between work, family and everyday responsibilities, Daniella admitted she had forgotten how to move, express herself and feel confident in her own body.

“That is until I joined the Moonlight Dance Studio’s classes,” she said. “Now, three years later, dancing has strengthened me both physically and mentally,” she shared, adding that she enjoyed better posture, improved fitness and renewed self-belief.

“Every time I step onto the dance floor, I am reminded that it is never too late to try something new or to fall in love with yourself again,” she said.

Kgwedi explained that ballroom dancing offered numerous health benefits such as improved posture, balance, flexibility and cardiovascular health. Mentally, he said it helped to reduce stress and anxiety, sharpened memory through learning choreography and boosted overall mood through music and movement. 

More importantly, he said, it helped to prevent isolation for older adults, since it was a social and uplifting activity. Kgwedi said he tailored his approach for adults by adjusting pace and teaching style to suit the group’s comfort and ability levels.

Again, he said the sessions also focused more on social dancing and building confidence rather than speed and athleticism.

“Seeing adults light up on the dance floor has been one of the most rewarding parts of my work,” he said.

Kgwedi has also established The Dance For Health Programme, an initiative that promotes healthier workplaces and communities.

“The concept is built on the idea that movement is medicine,” he said, and so far, the programme had partnered with companies and organisations such as First Capital Bank, Miss World Botswana as well as the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs. ENDS