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Seniors learn balance through Sacramento ballet class | Everyday Heroes

Sacramento Ballet is keeping the art of dance alive and is continuing to help seniors through the pandemic.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Everyday Heroes are all around us, and ABC10 wants to highlight the work they do. Every week our viewers nominate people and organizations making a difference in our community.  This week we want to introduce you to Cynthia Drayer. 

As the school director for the Sacramento Ballet, she’s worked with many professional dancers, but her latest passion project involves seniors who are starting to lose their balance. 

“It’s a class designed to regain body awareness and strength,” said Drayer.

Following a celebrated career as a Principal dancer with San Francisco Ballet, Drayer took over as school director at The Sacramento Ballet. Her life has been devoted to mentoring, teaching and studying the art of ballet to inform and inspire dancers of all ages. 

About a year ago, Drayer started what known as the Fall Prevention Through Movement for Seniors class. It's a program she developed with help from therapists at Kaiser Permanente and Eskaton, a nonprofit senior living and aging services provider. 

“It involves placement of eyes and head, core placement, [and] waking up our legs and feet,” says Drayer.

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A study by the Centers for Disease Control shows death-related falling has increased by 30% among older adults. 3 million older people are treated in the emergency rooms every year after falling. 

The goal of Ballet Fall Prevention classes is to build confidence and strengthen movement in seniors.  

“We’ve had people come in with canes and leave without it. They forgot they even needed it,” says Drayer.

Since the start of the pandemic, the dance floor has been closed to students, so ballet instructors continue the classes via video chat. 

Cynthia Drayer and all the other dance instructors at the Sacramento Ballet are Everyday Heroes for keeping the art of dance alive and continuing to help seniors through the pandemic.

If you would like to nominate an Everyday Hero email John Bartell jbartell@abc.com

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