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Ballerina aged 100 teaches seniors - 29th June 2026

At the age of 100, Evelyn Cordero still believes in the power of dance although she's now swapped her ballet pointe shoes for comfortable trainers. She continues to pass on this love of ballet and movement to those attending the dance academy bearing her name in Santiago, Chile.

Cordero started dancing at the age of four and, even today, often dances in her dreams.

Evelyn Cordero: "I even think I've got out of bed in my sleep and started dancing. And I dream that I'm dancing. I do these beautiful leaps, touching the ceiling, I don't know, I lift off the ground. Then the turns, I do a ton of turns."

She might not be turning pirouettes anymore, but every week she instructs a 90-minute class for women aged 50 to 80. It's a lesson that age is no barrier to movement and health.

Evelyn Cordero: "And I also think about people's health. Because ballet is also good for your health since it works all the muscles, and your whole mind as well. It's a very complete form of exercise."

Chile has a rapidly ageing population, alongside a public health crisis in late-onset depression. Evelyn's work supporting both physical and emotional wellbeing has recently seen her chosen as one of the 100 Senior Leaders of Chile.

Evelyn also continues to inspire her own family. Mother to 5 children, grandmother to 14, and great-grandmother to 17, she's instilled a love of dance in four generations of her family.

Two of Evelyn's daughters, also professional dancers, assist her in running the dance academy. Despite being challenged slightly by a loss of hearing and physical mobility, due to the passing of time, Evelyn's got no intention of retiring or giving up her school any time soon.