THE DANCING NANA: Social media star Shirley Goodman reveals how she keeps dancing at 100!
SARASOTA, FLORIDA: A woman who is still dancing every day at the age of 100 has revealed the key to her incredible longevity. Shirley Goodman is referred to as "The Dancing Nana" on Instagram, where her family uploads videos of her having a blast at celebrations and family reunions while tap dancing, shimmying, and performing the floss dance.
Goodman, who resides in Sarasota, Florida, has disclosed her best advice for thriving in old age. These include practicing yoga every day, dancing the Tush Push, and indulging in chocolate after each meal. The dancing grandmother says "100 is just a number" to her.
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Who is Shirley Goodman?
Shirley Goodman shot to fame in 2019 when she danced the Tush Push, a line dance that includes twirls and kicks, at her nephew's wedding while she was 96 years old. Other, much younger visitors could hardly keep up with the routine, as per Today. The grandmother turned 100 on March 14, and there was a five-day party in her honor that included plenty of dancing. "I feel great — 100 is just a number to me," said Goodman, who lives independently in Sarasota, Florida.
Secret to Goodman's longevity
Goodman is an astonishingly active 100-year-old, despite facing challenges like heart disease and other health issues. Staying physically busy is the first tip on the great-grandmother's list of guidelines for living a long life.
Every morning, the grandma and her daughter Joan, who resides in Albany, New York, practice yoga via FaceTime. Her greatest love, however, is dancing.
'Don’t just sit at home'
The centenarian Dancing Nana was only eight years old when her father started teaching her how to dance. Shirley devoted a large part of her early years to the activity and, at the age of 17, started her own dancing studio where she taught ballroom and ballet. Even though she decided to shut down the school after getting married, she kept up her interest in her spare time. Shirley, who also briefly took up tennis and golf, recently told Today, "I would advise people, if they like music at all, to keep it in their lives and don’t just sit at home in a rocking chair."
'I try to stay positive'
Shirley's husband served in the military as a pilot during World War II. She has four children, ten grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Being resilient in the face of obstacles in life, according to the social media sensation, is the second secret to longevity. Shirley, who has a heart illness, has undergone two open-heart surgeries and has a pacemaker and stent installed. She also has trouble seeing and hearing, but she still has a positive attitude. "My legs are still working. I'm an optimist. I try to do positive thinking all the time. That's very important," she stated. "I have a bracelet that says "positivity" on it. I wear it every day and I try to stay positive."
'Enjoy what you’re eating'
The 100-year-old's next advice is to follow your own tastes rather than fret over dietary guidelines. Shirley claimed to enjoy shrimp and "anything that's cooked in batter," but she also has a sweet tooth. According to the outlet, she always eats at least one piece of chocolate following every meal, which includes a chocolate chip cookie for breakfast. But she was quick to point out that she has never smoked and abstains from drinking because she dislikes the taste. "I don’t eat healthy food," she stated. "My kids would holler at me… but when I hit 90, they stopped bothering me." "We figured she was going to outlive us," said her daughter Joan, 71. "(But) you would not want to write a cookbook based on her nutritional recommendations. I think the secret is to enjoy what you’re eating."
'I have a wonderful family'
Her final bit of advice is to surround oneself with loved ones. "I attribute (my longevity) mostly to two things. One is my family — I have a wonderful, devoted family. And the jazz, the music down here in Sarasota, and my tap dancing, that’s what keeps me going."
'What an inspiration'
Goodman's followers found her words motivating, and love poured into her comment section on Instagram. A user wrote, "Just saw this - you are fabulous and give me inspiration. Now when I’m down, with zero energy and feeling old and out of shape I’m gonna watch one of your videos for inspiration. Thank you dancing 💃 Nana. ❤️" Another user said, "She's the best!!! I remember her dancing on her 92nd birthday and had been following ever since. What an inspiration. Stay active and try to just enjoy the simple things in life." One person commented, "HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY QUEEN! KEEP DANCING, AND MAY GOD GRANT YOU MANY MANY MANY MORE REASONS TO CELEBRATE!!!" Someone else wrote, "TRUELY AMAZING!!! Happy 100th Birthday to this queen!!!!🌸"
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