(lively music) (people chattering) (gentle music) - [Tom] Well, I married a dancer.

She'd been dancing since the age of three.

- [Announcer] Ladies and gentlemen, we wanna welcome you to the first day of competition.

- [Tom Sr.] I had planned nothing for our 33rd wedding anniversary.

And so we went in for our first dance lesson on the 21st of December, which was our 33rd anniversary.

We stuck together for 63 years.

She gave me five kids and many, many dances.

She loved it and she loved everybody in the studio and they loved her.

If she were setting this close to you, she'd pinch you.

Always full of mischief.

- [Tom Jr.] It was hard on all of us when mom passed but this gave him something to look forward to.

- [Nastya] ] Look, stay together, look.

- [Tom Jr.] I think it's probably the most important activity in his life, right now.

- [Nastya] Nice.

He's not just a student, he is inspiration for everybody.

Nice.

Age, this is not reason to stop to dance.

It's not a reason.

Is dance keep you young, keep you beautiful, and keep great like Mr. B.

Nice.

Awesome.

He's a talent.

He just one and only.

- [Tom Sr.] Well, the payoff for both Betty and me has been a series of memories, which are awfully nice to carry along as you age along and adventures, friendships.

But finally, that it has kept me able to be so independent.

- [Announcer] Tom and Nastya.

- [Tom Sr.] And it's nice to be able to entertain people and they remember that if you can do a job in some cases, just a matter of giving them a laugh.

You've left them with something that made them happier.

That's a winner.

- [Interviewer] So what is this here?

- This is couple of years after Betty passed and I did "When I Fall in Love" and the pictures in the background are my wife.

And everybody in the audience knew that and recognized her.

What a wonderful way to create a memory.

(audience clapping) So that's dedicated to my bride.

- [Traci] Is that one of your favorite dances?

- Yes.

Oh, I got all tingling when I was doing that, yeah.

We'll see, here's Nastya.

- I'm gonna - Pull out the sticks.

- Yes, let's do that.

It's fun.

- You make me feel so young.

- I know.

We have special number.

(both laughing) - [Someone Off-Camera] Let's see it.

- Okay.

Okay, Mr. B, ready?

- [Tom Sr.] Um-hm.

- And a 1, 2, 3, 4, walk.

Ballroom dancing keeping your mind very sharp.

Amazing not just for the body, but for brain as well, because once we dancing it's multiple stuff is going on in our head because you need to control not just your own body, you needs to control your dance partner.

(suspenseful music) - [Tom Sr.] It's very surprising.

People don't think there's much athleticism but even when you're dancing slowly, you're using muscle against muscle in that slow motion to control it.

And this gives you more exercise than you might think.

- [Tom Jr.] I guess there are some people could very easily just fall into inactivity.

I think that can lead to depression in older people.

And if you have something to look forward to and something to try and achieve, you avoid that.

- She's watching, in her own way.

(inspirational music) (audience cheers) (PBS music)