The aim of this study was to gather information about the significance of an eight-week dance training on the balance of elderly people. The purpose was to exploit this information in our future professions as physiotherapists, bring updated information to the field of physiotherapy and also expand our own knowledge about the elderly and balance. Our research problem was to find out how eight weeks of dance training twice a week affect three different fields of balance, vestibular system, proprioception and vision, in elderly people when using the Smart EquiTest -system.

The research method of our thesis is quantitative. We measured balance by using the Smart EquiTest-system’s SOT (Sensory Organization Test)-test which measures the activity of the vestibular system, proprioception and vision together and separate by six different test sections. The results were analyzed by the SPSS-program. The target group consisted of seven healthy 65-72 year old subjects. Their balance was measured in the beginning and at the end of an eight-week dance training. Duration of one dancing session was 45 minutes and the themes varied every week.

The results of this study showed an eight-week dance training twice a week developed the balance in the elderly. In test sections 1-3 balance did not get better. In those sections all three fields of balance were used or only the vision was distracted. Balance got a little bit better in sections 4 and 6 when the proprioception or both the proprioception and the vision were distracted. The best result was in the fifth section when the proprioception was disturbed and the vision totally excluded and when the balance was maintained only by the vestibular system. As a conclusion dance training can develop the significance of vision and especially the function of the vestibular system in balance and postural control.