A 70-year-old retired dance teacher and his 79-year-old former student have become a viral sensation in Italy after showcasing their dancing skills on the streets of Rome, encouraging elderly people to lead more active lives.
Pasquale Iannotta and Elisa Fava gained widespread attention after a video of them dancing to songs by Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley in Testaccio Square was shared online by a tour operator.
The video received more than 370,000 likes on Instagram and drew thousands of comments, including praise from Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, who described the pair as “excellent dancers”.
The duo has since been invited to perform on national television, including Rai Uno’s flagship morning programme.
Iannotta and Fava met at a dance class, where Fava was once his student, and began regularly performing outdoors during summer. Iannotta said they dance in public because they both “hate sitting around at home”.
The pair now hope their newfound popularity will encourage other retirees to remain active instead of spending their time sitting at home watching television.
