100-Year-Old Parks and Rec Dance Legend News General, News Mayor Office, News Parks and Recreation The City of Tampa is recognizing a 100-year-old who is bringing extra life to[...]

The City of Tampa is recognizing a 100-year-old who is bringing extra life to its Parks and Recreation centers with her passion for staying active and engaged.

Judith Baizan is a dance instructor who has been participating in or leading folk dance classes with Parks and Recreation for more than 50 years.

"Judith is not just helping herself, she's setting herself up as an inspiration for all of us," Mayor Jane Castor said. "I've had the pleasure to meet so many active people in our community, and I keep thinking that I hope I will be this active and look this wonderful."

Baizan was born in Michigan in 1925. She first saw international folk dancing in the 1940s and immediately fell in love with it. When she moved to Tampa in 1971 she immediately connected with Tampa's recreation centers. She taught dance in Forest Hills and became instrumental in building a sense of community among other seniors in the neighborhood.

"Judith has truly been an impactful force in the community," Kate Jackson Site Supervisor Nina Acevedo said. "Her love and passion to teach the art of Scandinavian and Folk Dance has kept the craft alive. We know her time teaching with the City of Tampa Parks and Recreation Department will reverberate through generations."