For 96-year-old Alicia Nieves, music is life, and life is a party filled with dancing. At her age, she still has a lot of moves.

"​I'm going to keep dancing until the end," said Nieves.

On the streets of Harlem, New York, many call her the Salsa Queen.   


What You Need To Know

  • 96-year-old Alicia Nieves goes dancing several times a week

  • Her son takes her dancing all over Harlem

  • Nieves started dancing at the age of seven in Puerto Rico

"She loves her music and she loves everybody," said fellow dancer, Diana Maritza Rivera. 

When Nieves hits the dance floor it's a vibe and an inspiration.  

"People want to know about her,” Gayle Garcia continued. “They want to know her secrets.  She just has a lot of positive energy, and for us here in East Harlem, she's her own celebrity, and she's at every salsa even.”

Nieves started dancing just for fun in Puerto Rico when she was a kid. Now, she needs the help of her son to get around, and boy does she get around.  

"We go three places in one day," said Jose Luis Nieves at a dance party in Central Park.

She also goes out several times a week, dancing mostly on the streets, but for her family and the people she dances with, they wouldn’t have it any other way.

"I'm just glad to have her here, and if that keeps her going, then that's amazing," said Nieves.