Rome dancing seniors go viral with active-ageing message

Two older dancers in Rome have become a viral hit in Italy after a street performance was shared online, and they say they hope the attention encourages other seniors to stay active.

Pasquale Iannotta, a 70-year-old retired dance teacher, and Elisa Fava, 79, performed in Testaccio square after one of their recent dances was posted by The Tour Guy last week.

The Instagram clip gathered more than 370,000 likes and thousands of comments, including praise from Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri. The pair have also appeared on Rai Uno and other television programmes.

Iannotta and Fava met at dancing class, where Fava was one of Iannotta's pupils. They began dancing outdoors regularly in summer because, Iannotta said, they both dislike sitting at home.

Italy has the oldest population in the European Union by median age, according to the bloc's data agency. Doctors cited by AFP say physical activity is important for older people, including for brain and heart health.

Fava, who recently became a great-grandmother, urged other seniors not to be idle. "If you can, move," she said.