This is the kind of assignment that makes my heart sing.
📷 by Mary Beth Koeth for AARP

“When I hear music, I feel electrified. I can’t just sit there—I’ve got to get up and dance. I got my first job as a cruise ship dance host when I was about 70. Since then, I’ve filled my time with three or four trips a year. It’s not a paid gig, but you do get food and lodging in exchange for a small daily fee. I do ballroom dances with the women traveling solo. My job is to make everyone look good on the dance floor. I get to meet all these lovely people. I don’t think of my age when I do this. It seems to erase time.” —As told to Michael Anft

Former high school teacher Richard Conti, 83, lives in Arlington, Massachusetts.