The Tap-Dancing Grandma: Betty Markowitz’s Inspiring Journey at 96

At the impressive age of 96, Betty Markowitz isn’t just living life – she’s tapping through it with remarkable energy and passion. As New York City’s oldest known dance teacher, Betty has been teaching tap dance to senior citizens for over two decades, using rhythm and movement to prove that age is truly just a number. Recently, she marked a significant milestone when her troupe, “The Rhythm and Style Tappers,” performed their first show since the COVID-19 pandemic at Brooklyn’s Fort Hamilton Senior Center. “It’s beautiful, it’s wonderful,” Betty told The Post about preparing for the performance in her mid-90s. With characteristic spunk, she added, “It’s done to show that seniors don’t have to stop and lie on the couch and watch TV. Get up, get dressed, and get out!” Her philosophy embodies the vitality and determination that has guided her through nearly a century of life.

Betty’s dance troupe consists of 15 dancers, all aged 60 and above, who gather every Monday morning to practice their routines. What’s remarkable is that many of her students – some more than three decades younger than their teacher – struggle to keep up with Betty’s energy and enthusiasm. “I’m trying to find out where she gets the gumption at her age to do everything that she does,” one student confessed after a recent practice. “I’m tired already!” At their recent performance, the troupe executed 12 tap numbers to the delight of a packed audience. Betty began teaching these beginner classes two decades ago, reaching out to retirees who wanted to stay active and learn something new. At its peak, her troupe boasted 30 seniors who would travel throughout New York’s boroughs, performing at police and military inaugurations, nursing homes, and fundraising events. The close-knit group became more than just dance partners – as Betty warmly recalls, “We were a unit. We were a family.”

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to Betty and her dancers. When the senior center closed in March 2020, the isolation hit Betty particularly hard. Living alone in Brooklyn, she found herself adrift without her beloved dance community. “I was totally miserable, sad, lonely, and all the other things that knock you out and take the joy out of your life,” she shared, reflecting on those difficult days. The isolation began taking a physical toll as well – she was losing weight and her health was deteriorating. With characteristic determination, Betty reached a breaking point. “One day, I said, ‘I can’t stand this anymore,'” she recalled, deciding it was time to venture outside despite the risks. In what seemed like a stroke of serendipity, she ran into a friend who had received permission to reopen a nearby studio under strict safety protocols.

With the dance studio as a lifeline, Betty managed to gather six of her former students. They adapted to the new reality – wearing masks, maintaining distance from one another, and having their temperatures checked before each session. “But that’s how I started dancing again,” Betty explained, the relief still evident in her voice. This small step marked the beginning of her troupe’s revival. When Fort Hamilton Senior Center eventually reopened, Betty worked diligently to rebuild her class, recruiting new retirees to join the returning dancers. Her persistence paid off as the group slowly returned to form, culminating in their recent triumphant performance – a testament to Betty’s resilience and the healing power of artistic expression in the face of adversity.

Dance has been Betty’s companion through nearly her entire life. Born in England in 1929, her journey with movement began at the tender age of four. Her life took a romantic turn when she fell in love with an American soldier stationed in the UK during World War II. In 1947, she moved to New York as a “G.I. fiancée” and made Brooklyn her home. Throughout her working years, she dabbled in “12,000 different things for work” while maintaining ballroom dancing as a cherished hobby. It wasn’t until after her own retirement that Betty decided to begin teaching tap classes for beginners. What started as a post-retirement activity quickly revealed her natural talent for instruction and her ability to connect with fellow seniors through dance. This second career has perhaps become her most meaningful contribution – helping older adults discover joy, community