StepWISEnow, a new fitness studio on Route 9 in Briarcliff Manor, is defying the conventional notion that the older you are, the more likely you are to experience a fall.

“Many of the negative things we associate with aging are avoidable and reversible,” says Molly Roffman, a physical therapist and the owner and director of StepWISEnow. “Although it’s true that one-third of adults 65 years and older will have a fall each year, the New York State Department of Health has found that nearly all falls are preventable.”

If falls are preventable, why are so many people falling? It’s all a matter of balance, Roffman explains. “Balance is a complex skill. To maintain our balance, we have to challenge it. In fact, studies show that one hour of tai chi twice a week for six months can make a meaningful difference in one’s mobility and stability.”

StepWISEnow offers tai chi as well as many other programs known to be effective in reducing the risk of falls for older adults, she says. Those programs include line dancing, Zumba Gold, Ballet for Balance, Chair Yoga, Pilates and the studio’s gateway program, A Matter of Balance.

“People who practice regularly make remarkable transformations,” she says. “I’ve seen it happen time and time again.”

For more info and a full program schedule, visit StepWISEnow.com, email [email protected] or call 914.292.0602.