Rice Lyons worked at the Office of Population Research at Princeton University for 30 years. She observed that more and more people were becoming isolated as they aged, and that more and more people were aging, which led her to create LAFF®, conceived to combat the physical and psychological insults of time. LAFF® incorporates her training in Gestalt psychology, massage, exercises she has done since her serious back surgery in 1982, and folk dance, which she has taught for over 35 years.
"The effects of aging leave us with fewer reserves to ward off depression, which gerontologists report is suffered at one time or another by about one third of those over 65. How do you conquer loneliness and withdrawal? Gather a group of companions, talk about growing older, laugh, dance!" In 1988 the Physical Education Department at Princeton bought the idea, and Rice has been teaching LAFF® ever since.