Seniors & Zumba: An Unlikely Combo

Senior citizens doing Zumba® is not something you see every day.

For Gayellen Davis, bringing dance, music and fun to her students brings her as much joy as it does to them.

Davis, who lives in Woodland Hills, teaches Zumba® Gold — and also Drums Alive® — at assisted living communities and the YMCA in Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Thousand Oaks and throughout the Valley.

“I’m 69 years old and they all call me a baby.” – Gayellen Davis

“I’m 69 years old and they all call me a baby,” she said.

Zumba® Gold is a lower-intensity version of the typical Zumba® class. It’s for seniors, beginners and people with limited movement. The Latin-inspired fitness program is great for physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. It’s fun, and that is key.

“Gayellen’s Zumba® Gold classes are one of the most popular exercise programs we offer at Los Angeles Jewish Health,” Annette Weinberg, campus lifestyle and enrichment director at Eisenberg Village, Los Angeles Jewish Health, told the Journal.

Weinberg said that the residents “adore” Davis’ energy and music selections. 

“Part of what sets us apart in the senior living and care space is our abundance of programming that supports our residents’ overall well-being,” Weinberg said.

Recently, a new participant told Davis she hadn’t had that much fun in a very long time. 

“My heart is full,” Davis said.

Davis and Zumba® have been together since 2013.

“I love to dance,” Davis said. Growing up, every wedding, every bar or bat mitzvah, she was on the dance floor. Her ex didn’t dance, so even when Davis was married she didn’t have a dance partner. 

“When I saw Zumba®, I said, ‘That’s it. That’s my exercise.’” 

In March 2014, she got her Zumba® teaching license. She had been working office jobs and needed a plan B. In October of that year, she became licensed to teach Zumba® Gold.

“I was 60 at the time, and I decided that specializing in seniors would be the way to go for me,” she said.

Davis started working with Fit 4 The Cause in February 2021. Fit 4 the Cause is a nonprofit organization providing expert fitness programs for the underserved at public schools, regional centers, senior living facilities and hospitals.

“As baby boomers are living longer than any previous generation, our senior populations need energetic, engaging, smart, generous motivators like Gayellen to keep them fit both mentally and physically,” Cindy Rakowitz, Fit 4 The Cause’ founder, executive director and kinesiology chief, told the Journal.

Davis became a part of the Fit 4 The Cause community during its inception, enthusiastically instructing at local Zumba® Community gatherings. As the demand for the fitness services for senior living facilities increased, they officially hired her. She currently teaches at two of their locations.

“We are so pleased with her impact and ongoing success,” Rakowitz said.

Horizons in Calabasas brought Davis on to teach via Zoom for a couple of weeks during the pandemic. In May 2021, she began teaching there in person. 

“They brought me back for a Mother’s Day event,” she said. “When I walked in there, you would think Robert Redford walked in the place. I got a greeting that was unbelievable.”

After the event, Davis told the coordinator that she had something else the residents might enjoy: Drums Alive®, which is a rhythmic drumming fitness program.

Davis discovered Drums Alive® when she was looking through YouTube videos for Zumba® choreography.

“I came across this woman with seniors drumming on a chair,” she said. “I had to learn more.” 

A couple years later, during COVID, Davis became certified online in Drums Alive®; the senior version is called Golden Beats®. Davis’ class at Horizons fills the room every week.

“One of the things that makes it so much fun is that they’re a community,” she said. “They all really care about each other.”

The community spirit is a theme in all of Davis’ classes. Everybody is happy, going at their own pace and enjoying the experience.

Davis’ position at some of the facilities has gone way beyond group fitness instructor, as she often helps with events. These clients have mixed religious and cultural residents, but have significant Jewish populations.

“Because I am Jewish, two of my clients have asked me to conduct Shabbat services for their residents when they didn’t have a rabbi available.”
– Gayellen Davis 

“Because I am Jewish, two of my clients have asked me to conduct Shabbat services for their residents when they didn’t have a rabbi available,” Davis said. “One of those clients also asked me to conduct their Rosh Hashanah service.”

Davis did her research and talked to her rabbi and his wife.

“I was able to do quite a nice service,” she said. “Between Zumba® and Drums Alive®, my life has gone through the roof,” she said. 

Davis spent her life working in an office, going from job to job to job. She started teaching part time at the YMCA in 2015; they were looking for a Zumba® Gold teacher and pretty much hired her on the spot. Davis stopped doing office work in October 2020, focusing entirely on group fitness.

“Now I hit what we call my sweet spot,” she said. “You know how everybody usually dreads Monday mornings? I wake up and I’m raring to go.” ■