health benefits of dancing essay

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Mental and Social Benefits of Dancing

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Published: Mar 18, 2021

Words: 997 | Pages: 3 | 5 min read

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Introduction, what are the benefits of dancing, works cited.

• Coyle, J. T. (2004). Use it or lose it - Do effortful mental activities protect against dementia? The New England Journal of Medicine, 352(25), 2571-2572.
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• Kangas, M., Rahkonen, O., & Heinonen, R. (2005). Cognitive performance in physically active and inactive middle-aged men. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, 15(2), 91-100.
• Leste-Lasserre, C. (2021). How dance benefits your brain. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/202101/how-dance-benefits-your-brain
• National Endowment for the Arts. (2015). The arts in early childhood: Social and emotional benefits of arts participation. Retrieved from https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Arts-in-Early-Childhood-Report.pdf
• Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark: The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. Little, Brown Spark.
• Sibley, B. A., & Etnier, J. L. (2003). The relationship between physical activity and cognition in children: A meta-analysis. Pediatric Exercise Science, 15(3), 243-256.
• Tervo, R. C., Azuma, T., Fogarty, J., & Nelson, C. A. (2020). A guide for using the event-related optical signal (EROS) to study cognitive processes. Journal of Visualized Experiments, (155), e60688.
• Yoon, S., & Coulton, C. (2015). Social benefits of physical activity in parks: A research synthesis. Leisure Sciences, 37(2), 145-162.

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Benefits of Dancing Essay

If you’re exploring the importance of dancing, this essay can help you.

Dance is an art that refers to the movement of part of the body, some of the parts or the whole body, while keeping rhythmical to music (Luetzner). It is also referred to as a nonverbal form of communication as such movements can carry some massage. So that you see the benefits of dancing, this essay explores its importance in the human experience.

Dance as an art itself can be used to make expressions. The expressions can be either of joy, sorrow, warning or sometimes used for entertainment (Luetzner). In many parts of the world, dance can also be used to express talent or extra ordinary ability over others has in dance competitions.

Sense of unity

Dancing can be used as a symbol of unit. Among the several symbols of unity in different people in the world, such as taboos, cultures, songs, color and many others, dance is the most common way of expressing the sense of unity (Browning). In other words, dancing to a rhythm shows appreciation and acceptance despite the perspectives on can have.

Form of Exercise

This is because of the movements that are involved in dancing. It is proven that dancing can considerably improve one health by reducing the risk of some worse health conditions such as high blood pressure, weight gain and heart diseases (Browning). Just like any other exercise or sport, dancing has been incorporated in sports such as gymnastics, martial arts and figure skating (Luetzner).

Offers Mental and Physical Relaxation. A combination of music and a simple physical exercise are the most effectual way of setting one’s mind stress free. Dancing provides a quick and fun state that naturally relieves stress.

Form of Entertainment

Dancing and fun go hand in hand thus; it is the easiest way to happiness. Happiness can come from the activities one gets involves into will in dance groups, which include, making friends, dancing settings and of course learning new dance styles (Luetzner).

Source of Motivation and Inspiration

This is commonly in some games, competition and even sports such as basketball and football. The dancers can perform before, during the event and even on commercial breaks to keep both the fans and the participants motivated.

Source of Income

Dancing is a skill that if specialize can lead into career. So many professional dancers nowadays are able to form affiliates and make a living from training interested people and competitions (Browning).

Enhances education

Dancing is a major booster for both the old and the young. In children, dancing contributes a lot in terms of personal improvement hence enhancing their skills more so those necessary for better education. Research shows that dancing help in boosting self-esteem as well as confidence (Luetzner).

Social and political activity

Just like any other practice, dancing is also a social and political activity. The importance of dance is vividly understood during performance. As explained above, dance sends a message to the audience hence it is an important activity to the society at large.

Confidence Booster

Dancing being an exercise, it improves posture, strengthen muscles and bring out sense of them. Eventually, this state of body and mind eliminates doubts and fears and replaces them with confidence and thus good time (Luetzner).

Enhances Creativity

Lastly, d ance provides emotional outlet that helps a person to clearly reveal his or her feelings through coordinating body movement with music. It is this ability that translates back to the sense of creativity in the real world (Browning).

Works Cited

Browning, Sarah. The Importance of Dance . 2012. Web.

Luetzner Andreas. Benefits of Dance . 2012. Web.

• Ruth St. Denis's Biography
• Dance Education and Culture
• Dance and Mathematics Relationship
• African Dance Taught by Rujeko Dumbutshena
• Classical Dance: Term Definition
• Survey of Contemporary Dances
• Hip Hop Dance
• History of Balinese Dancing Art
• Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring
• Dance Analysis: Social and Cultural Context
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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Benefits of Dancing Essay – Importance of Dancing in Our Life

1. introduction.

Dancing is an indispensable part of our lives. Many people believe that dancing has a lot of positive benefits for our mental and emotional health, as well as for our physical health. I remember when I was in high school, one of my friends was a professional dancer and he was always happy and energetic. He practiced every day and took part in different student festivals. His life was very busy but he was always in a good mood and even ready to help with some tough assignments or exams. Thanks to all of his exciting dance stories, I was inspired to go to the salsa classes and this was one of the most unforgettable periods of my life. From that time, I realized how dancing can really change a person and his or her lifestyle, how it influences people who are devoted to this activity. Nowadays, people are so afraid to be judged and criticized by society and they are too busy to reach some standards. But dancing does not define a small size of your body or high level of your income. Everyone can dance, even blind or disabled people. Because dancing is more than just body movement, it is a rhythm of our life. When I heard noise, I could not help but bend my knees and bend my body to the beats. Because this is natural for a human being to react to surrounding sounds and music is one of the biggest pleasures which people can really feel and share. Human's brain and body are closely related. People can easily memorize a dance movement after several times of practice. This is a good exercise for our brain, as well as for muscle work. By simple and smooth movements, such as waltz or cha-cha, a dancer develops fine motor skills akin to those used in writing or typing. Over time, these dance-enhanced fine motor skills can help make everyday activities easier and more precise. And because it is never too late to start learning dancing, even elderly people can enjoy benefits of improved muscle tone and coordination that are made available by this kind of exercise. With regular exposure to music and dance, coordinated pattern of neural firings in those parts of the brain may actually take over in the process helping people cope with various conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease or Parkinson's and it was proven by Dr. Joseph Coyle from Harvard Medical School. He also states that such activities of moving and music, like in my example with salsa classes, engage the brain in ways that other activities do not. So dancing can be a big helper for patients and it will also decrease the rate of disease progress; that means people who got this kind of sickness will live a better life than people who don't express themselves in movement and fun.

1.1. Definition of Dancing

Dancing can be classified as a form of art that many people enjoy not only as a recreational pursuit but also as an integral component of their physical and mental health. The activity is usually performed by the rhythmical movement of the body in a particular rhythm, either in a specified location or even in some cases travelling from one place to another. Also, it is important to note something about dancing which many individuals tend to overlook, and that is dancing is primarily a participatory activity, although it can be performed as a theatrical art. However, in order for someone to understand and appreciate the activity, such an individual must realize that dancing goes through a progressive academic process, generally referred to as classical dance training. This comprises of three vital levels in which someone starts with learning the basic steps, then more steps, and finally working on building up the knowledge of various dance techniques and a good understanding of one's own body. This ultimately leads to an activity which promotes knowledge of the body and mind that has been studied for many years and it has recently been given a label. Ergonomics is the study of body movement, primarily through the use of scientific methods and anatomic knowledge. It is evident that the human body is capable of an infinite variety of movements executed through the many movable joints, especially those of the appendicular skeleton. Such movements are controlled by the muscular system, which can be classified as skeletal, smooth, or cardiac. On the other hand, the modern definition of dancing is a style of performing a series of one or more rhythmic and patterned bodily movements, usually to music. It is served to be a form of expression, social interaction, and many more. Such definition does not appear to be valid or expressive enough to communicate the true, vibrant nature of dance that has everyone curious about it. Under the definition of dancing, as outlined above, a series of what we can refer to as well-accepted activities and bodily movements which constitute dancing are categorized. These include things like the movement of the body in a certain rhythm, usually in a given rhythm and diversely in a variety of ways, movement whose timing is in music, movement where it is connected with a partner that enhances the sense of a relationship between partners, and finally movements which either away or at a particular location. Moreover, other types of activities whose movement pattern and rhythm satisfy the above requirements in one way or another may be considered as dancing too.

1.2. History of Dancing

The history of dancing is difficult to access because dancing itself is very, very old. We know that dance and music have been a part of many cultures for thousands of years. Anthropologists say that the history of dancing is often traced by the way dances were done. Gradually, over the last thousand or so years, dancing has become less about ritual and more about pleasure or entertainment. The age, year, period, century, decade, notated, old, modern, social, folk, and street-dance are all different types of dances. Notation is a method of recording the steps in a dance so that it can be transmitted easily. It allows a dance to be preserved for future generations. For example, Mrs. Smith recorded the dance of the natives when she was in Africa. Country dance is a social dance that was popular in the 18th century. It was performed in sets or squares and was part of the fashionable world at the time. It was not danced by the lower classes. The Lancers is a type of country dance. Disco dance was popular in the 1970s and was associated with fashions such as platform shoes. It was recognized by lines of people doing individual movements, like the 'bus stop' and the 'hustle'. The dress ball was sometimes followed by a country dance. Over the past millennium, Western culture has moved from a written to a visual culture. This resulted in a growth of own-ability in the arts from the Renaissance, which became refined into a mass culture for the 19th century, especially with the invention of the camera. This led to a decline in traditional movements and a move towards creating dance as a means of self-expression for the artist. This is most noticeable in 20th-century classical dance where the focus has moved away from the comfort and pleasure of the viewer, to movement that may challenge or sometimes repulse the viewer. Hip-Hop dance has derived from African-American dance and street dance with influences from rap and soul music. It is very much connected to youth culture, aiming to visually interpret current political, social, or romantic themes. This form of dance is constantly evolving as new beats and styles are created. Ballet is a form of communication that uses feelings, thought, empathy, and passion to tell a story. To millions of people, it is a sport, art, a profession, a fact of life. But in the 15th century, ballet was a format for social events such as marriages. When you talk about ballet in this era, you talk about show not technique, this, movement, and music were for the purpose of being watched, a way to demonstrate power and wealth. A significant change caused emotional values and psychological concepts to be the source of movement which began to lay the foundation for concert dance. In addition, I remember the musicology lecturer also reminded us not to forget Bach. The changes in the written-visual balance have impacted dance methods and culture. Footer note: Introduction by Dance Department, University of Nottingham.

2. Physical Benefits of Dancing

Another area where dancing emerges as a big helpful thing is improving cardiovascular health. According to the research, lively dances such as Salsa and Tango are shown to assist in lowering the chance of coronary heart ailment and increase intellectual acuity because of the amount of electricity it takes to do them. In general, higher intense dances and faster tempos result in the most significant cardiovascular enhancements. On the other hand, slower and more stylish dances, such as the Waltz and Foxtrot, which are not as physically demanding, improve natural cardiovascular power but are more suitable for older populations because of their lower intensity. These dances assist the participant in increasing their endurance through slower tempos and longer dance sessions, which help to strengthen the heart muscles. To ensure you're achieving optimal cardiovascular conditioning, try to select partners or a dance routine that incorporates faster tempos and more lively movements. It is crucial to monitor your average workout heart rate for your age and adjust your activities, including dancing, to within 50 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. Always communicate with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine. At the beginning, it's important to take dance lessons. These lessons will teach you the right form and technique to prevent muscle strains and other common injuries related to dancing. Building a strong foundation in a specific type of dance will help you enjoy the benefits of cardiovascular exercise through dancing for the rest of your life. Because excellent cardiovascular dancing also requires strength and endurance, don't be surprised if you start to lose weight during your dance lessons. After several dance lessons, you may notice better muscle tone and more endurance due to the increased physical activity that dancing requires. With daily dancing, it's expected to lose around 5 to 10 pounds over time. Keep discovering new dance styles as your preference for music and rhythms changes and progress with your dancing skills from slower and elegant to excessive and faster tempo.

2.1. Improved Cardiovascular Health

Next to toning and losing weight, dancing actually has significant cardiovascular benefits. In fact, we get the same kind of cardiovascular workout from just 30 minutes of dancing as we do from doing any other kind of cardio. Regular cardio exercise has been proven to help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. When we do cardio, we strengthen our heart and its ability to pump blood. We also increase the amount of oxygen that's delivered to our muscles, which helps them function properly. When we're not doing cardio, our heart only pumps out about 50 to 70 percent of its blood, but when we increase our heart rate and do aerobic exercise, our heart pumps out about 70 to 85 percent of its blood. Over the years, this kind of increased activity strengthens our heart and helps it pump more efficiently. Dancing also has some extra benefits that other forms of cardio don't. For example, dancing to the beat of music means we have to use our brains to perform certain dance steps and not others at specific times, resulting in improved cardiovascular health, increased endurance, and weight management.

2.2. Increased Flexibility and Strength

Dancing also enhances strength and muscle tone, so it has a wide range of positive effects on the human body. Different forms of dance require a variety of movements, which help with muscle strengthening. Studies show that hip hop can bring additional benefits, making it a popular choice for many. Dancing requires a lot of effort, and flexibility is an important aspect of overall health. It is essential for people of all ages to maintain a healthy body and mind. Professional dancers often practice daily and do stretches to perform difficult dance moves. Improved flexibility is a common benefit of dancing, and all types of dance help with flexibility. The more athletic dances require above-average flexibility, but daily warm-up routines can help stretch the limits. Dancing is more intense than plain aerobics, making it beneficial for cardiovascular and overall health. Staying physically active is one of the best ways to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and dancing is a popular activity for many. Dance also helps with tension relief and improves blood circulation. Good music can lower blood pressure by calming the nerves and putting mental stresses into perspective. Any form of exercise is a stress reliever, and dancing is no exception. By getting the body in motion, dancing allows people to escape their stresses for a while. Dancing can also help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Bones are living tissues that can grow at any age. When bones are stressed, such as through dancing, they remodel and become stronger and denser. Dancing also greatly reduces the risk of falling and associated bone fractures. Osteoporosis is becoming increasingly prevalent in modern society.

2.3. Weight Management

Dancing can also be an effective and fun way to help you lose weight, whether through aerobic dance classes or simply using up energy dancing to your favourite tunes in the comfort of your own home. A person can burn as many as 250-300 calories during half an hour of dancing, depending on the speed of the movements, the intensity of the dance, and the person's body weight. For example, a ballet class would burn fewer calories than a jazz or hip hop class. Also, because dance is a weight-supported exercise (as opposed to running or jumping), it is much kinder to the joints in the body, which means you have less chance of causing long-term damage to the joints that can occur with other forms of exercise. The fact that dance is so enjoyable, combined with the calorie burn and benefits to the joints, makes it an excellent form of assistive weight management. And because it is fun, many people who dance as a method of weight loss find that they don't begrudge going to the gym as sometimes you can with a traditional workout - it becomes something to look forward to rather than a chore. This fun element also translates into an increased commitment to sticking with dance as a form of long-term, effective weight management - people who begin to dance to lose weight will often discover that they find something they love to do as a hobby and therefore are much more likely to commit to the activity regularly. And numerous studies, including one in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, have suggested that frequent dance participation is closely linked with a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, and weight-related illnesses. This is further supported by the finding that the CDC reports that 28.9% of Idahoans are obese, yet the findings from the Idaho Physical Activity and Nutrition Survey (IPAN) study showed that only 13% of the respondents who danced met the criteria for obesity versus 24% who didn't dance. So, the evidence is clear - if we all danced a little more, the overall rate of obesity could be decreased.

3. Mental and Emotional Benefits of Dancing

Dancing is great fun and everyone should really give it a go. It doesn't matter whether it is at a dance class, a disco, or a party, the mere act of dancing gives us a feel-good boost. The most important advantage of dancing is that it helps in stress relieving. This is an important fact of our lives because stress can be very dangerous for our health. It can cause various kinds of problems such as heart disease, digestive problems, and depressive symptoms. Moreover, it can cause obesity and other addictions. Dancing is a great way to cope with the stress and it has a positive impact on our general well-being. While we dance, our hearts start to beat a little faster. This increases blood flow throughout our body and generates the energy-boosting effects. As a result, our body will create more endorphins which are responsible for making us feel good. In this way we can feel happier and it can also control the level of our stress. Another useful mental benefit of dancing is that it can enhance our self-confidence and self-esteem. This can be especially beneficial to those of us who never considered themselves as "dancers." Putting on a pair of dancing shoes can humanize us quickly. We begin to feel more comfortable with our body and in social settings. When we become happy in our own skin we don't need alcohol or any other mood enhancing substance to make us feel better. This is really a strong step towards building a positive self-image.

3.1. Stress Relief and Relaxation

Dancing evokes a sense of happiness. The endorphin rush brought on by rhythmic movement, the music, and the concentration, as well as your body, creates an unrivaled sense of contentment. Dancing really capitalizes on utilizing brain power; your mind is consistently being stimulated with every new step and sequence you learn. In comparison to the general monotony of a jog or the repetitiveness of the gym, the continuous learning of new dance routines and enjoyability in reaching that physical perfection is rewarding and satisfying in itself. From the Argentine tango to salsa, dance styles can offer a range of physical benefits to boast about. Ballroom and samba are brilliant for overall muscle strength, salsa helps with flexibility, and the jive is great for enhancing stamina. Most importantly, practicing at your own pace and enjoying the vast array of styles can truly optimize the physical benefits. Personally, dancing and exercise are as good for our heads as for our bodies. Engaging in physical activities like dancing is an effective means of warding off the signs of aging. It is now known that those who engage in moderate to intense physical activity show younger physiological and muscular profiles when age is separated from the equation. You don't have to become a ballet guru or a street dance fanatic to enjoy such mental benefits, reports have stated that just 30 minutes worth of movement is all that is necessary to top up a good mood and become another step closer to vibrant mental well-being. Every dance move changes the way your body and the mind work - all eyes are in tune with the body's coordination and spatial configuration; concentration is key to moving in time with the music and also absorbing the sequence and step changes. These complex processes interlink everything that defines a person and how they interact with their immediate environment. The stress and demands on an individual's mind and body are uniquely managed, as problem-solving skills become incorporated with muscle toning, flexibility, stamina, and social interaction - not to mention the emotional handouts! From the psychological mindset, dancing has been recorded to elevate symptoms and help aid the recovery of mood and mental health-related issues. Regular dancing aids in the prevention of stress, anxiety, and depression, and dance has been proven to alleviate physical symptoms while bolstering the body's ability to strive off mental impairment. The simple act of moving to a rhythm can pique all kinds of amazing intangible feelings - happiness, sadness, anger, frustration, and romance - ultimately allowing a level of emotional exposure that can often be a great relief. When words and written methods of communication fail to properly capture the intensity and depth of an emotional state, dancing can be a liberating way to express the act of self-control and passion. Frustration and high levels of stress can be safely vented through the intensity and vigor that is often the nucleus of fast-paced dancing. In a similar vein, loneliness and isolation from friends through the understanding of changing life dynamics and geographical bridges can be soothed by the shared unity felt with partner-based and group-style dance classes. This shared bond can be the reason for someone isolating themselves from normal social participation and enjoyable activities because of the outward appearance of conditions such as anxiety or depression being misunderstood as a sign of reclusion. Since music choice is a highly personal and emotional resonance for the individual, it can be inferred that the type of dance chosen can hopefully emulate and reinforce the resultant satisfaction and enjoyment. The relationship between music, rhythm, and the physical expression of dance isn't just an outward experience; it's usually a trait we internalize while trying to interpret our sense of musicality.

3.2. Boosted Self-Confidence and Self-Esteem

Another benefit of dancing is the boosted self-confidence and self-esteem. Dancing provides the perfect environment for people, especially children, to build their self-worth. As the dancers learn and master the movements, their confidence also builds. They start feeling good about the way they are moving and the fact that their body can easily adapt to the moves; while in some cases their self-esteem can be certified by some small rounds of applause. When dancing in a group, people will learn to trust and cooperate with others. This is an important skill in life - the ability to work as part of a team. With developed self-confidence and strong self-esteem, many have discovered that dancing can also be a good social activity. Instead of limiting themselves to that special friend, child, or class teacher, many feel that they are much more comfortable showing other people their talent. Some may say those who are with high self-esteem and confidence can easily share their success with others. This is true for the experience of dancing. When we are more confident in ourselves, we can keep that sense of within and success when we are stepping out of the dancing hall and entering into the world. For a person with low self-esteem, the inner success established during a dancing session may quickly disappear while facing the public. Everyday life is a mixture of emotional states, making it hard for someone to step out of the comfort zone and welcome new change to life. As the experience in dancing has revealed, body and mind act together as a powerful force that is hard to be conquered. With both physical and mental exhilaration portrayed in a session of dancing, not only does a person become more confident in the way he moves and his body's ability to make those movements, he can also experience an invigorating change in the mental state which in turn brings a neat array of hidden advantages - a true journey of self-discovery. The discovery of self-worth and a positive body image is one of the biggest achievements of the materialization of dancing, something which a person may never have thought of before. Every success, may it be small or large, will help enhance further the belief of what a person is capable of. Over time, the dancing experience will definitely help to shape the pathway to better physical and emotional health. There are some pieces of research which conclude that such a form of self-discovery, if implemented at an early stage, will help to alleviate the potential risk of many mental health issues, no matter if it is mild or severe. For children, young or old, they can absorb and develop these positive success factors and store them up in reserves for daily challenges. By building on a high self-esteem and the ability of standing on one's own feet with strong determination, these can only ensure a person's smooth journey in life.

3.3. Enhanced Cognitive Function

The mental benefits of dancing are also well-documented. As well as being a fantastic way to raise your heartbeat and improve your physical health, dancing has also been proven to help increase brain function. Having to remember complicated dance steps and sequences means that your brain is effectively exercising and this is extremely beneficial. When you break down that cognitive function that takes place within the brain, it's usually described as the process of thought - a broad term that can cover many different brain activities and contribute to dances and routines. These cognitive processes are partially responsible for generating your emotional response to the activity as well. All of this is helped by the increase in blood circulation to the brain that moderate intensity exercise such as dancing encourages. Cognitive function may start to decline from the age of 45 onwards - not something many of us like to hear - but research has shown that in older adults who can engage in activities that stimulate the brain and help to enable certain neural pathways could actually help to protect against the onset of diminishing cognitive function. So, why not make sure that as well as being a fantastic social activity and a way to keep physically fit and active, maybe in the long run, it could really help keep our brain function and health in tip-top condition. In the short term, a good way to explore the cognitive benefits of dancing is to come along to our passionate and friendly Salsa classes and allow the good vibes from the music, the effort you've put into learning the moves and the enthusiasm and passion from our experienced and personable teachers get to work for you!

4. Social Benefits of Dancing

Not only does dancing provide individuals with a medium for personal expression and a vehicle for understanding their own lives, but it also offers an opportunity for individuals to connect with others. Dancing is a social and communal activity; whether it is the cha-cha at a ballroom dance class or the tango at a dance hall, the shared activity of dancing is an intimation of a shared commonality. This shared space and time is often the groundwork for the formation and fostering of strong social connections. In particular, partner dancing is connected to increasing and creating social connections and relationships. When individuals learn partner dances, they often enroll in a series of classes. These multi-week class sessions allow for students to meet repeatedly and to form connections over time. They learn not only about dancing but also about one another; dance class students often choose to keep in touch and continue dancing together outside of the class. Furthermore, partner dancing necessitates physical connections between individuals. As such, it is widely used as a means to introduce individuals to other potential friends, and it is often suggested to those who are looking for relationships. Researchers have completed a study that demonstrates that physical touch, such as that of partner dancing, has a profound impact on the human body, producing chemicals like oxytocin which are thought to produce feelings of happiness and relaxation. As well as providing benefits in the short-term, it is also suggested that practices which increase the amount of physical human contact in an individual's life would provide cumulative long-term benefits in physical and emotional well-being. It is also suggested that this kind of enforced close connection, a big part of partner dancing, moves outside the dance floor and leads to meaningful relationships between dancers. Cultivating a hobby, learning a new skill together, and navigating the ups and downs of obtaining competence in dance moves are often highlighted as key aspects of relationship building. Undeniably, partner dancing creates many different kinds of relationships and networks, from long-lasting marriages between partners who first met during a dance class to the formation of close friendships that center around a shared love of dance. All in all, whether it is creating new friends or a new potential partner, the opportunity and encouragement of creating social connections and relationships is a key part of the appeal of partner dancing.

4.1. Building Social Connections and Relationships

Besides physical fitness, the human body requires social stimulation for a healthy and happy life. Extended periods of isolation can cause both physical and mental illness. Social dancing has been proven to reduce stress and depression, the number one cause of aging and numerous diseases. When we are dancing with a partner or with a group, we are socializing. By forming and connecting with our dance communities, we build and maintain a strong support system full of positive energy. Learning to dance socially is vital to a healthy and happy social life. We are often put into situations where we are expected to dance - such as weddings, work events, or nights out with friends. Being knowledgeable in more than one dance will increase our joy in dancing as well as increase our opportunities for social interaction. Through dance, we can express our experiences with others regardless of gender or age, which is an extremely powerful way to communicate. Research also confirms that adding a regular dose of dancing to our leisure time will protect our brain as well as the lifelong benefits of reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. Social dancing requires us to not only process information mentally, but make rapid fire decisions which helps to build neural pathways.

4.2. Increased Social Confidence

Learning a new dance routine can boost confidence in all parts of a person's life, but the effect is especially powerful for those new to dancing. The mix of social interaction and physical activity is difficult to match, and the rapid progress that people can make in dancing is unmatched in any other discipline. This can be a major reason why dancing is a common recommendation for those looking to increase their social confidence. The lessons often follow a predictable pattern, most often starting with a group class where the instructor will rotate through the attendees. This style of teaching ensures that each person gets used to dancing with a variety of partners and becomes familiar with the basic steps and holds that are unique to that style. Even those people who arrive at the first lesson with such little self-confidence that they are petrified of stepping on someone's toes often report a dramatic increase in their self-assurance, not just in dancing, but also at work, home, and in group situations. These kinds of improvements can often be linked to the fact that some of the invisible constraints that are often felt in western countries are lifted in the relaxed and friendly embracing nature of many Latin and Ballroom dances and their respective communities. The inherent need for physical contact, having to hold a stranger or even just the opposite sex, particularly for people who are unable to meet different genders due to work commitments or religious reasons, can lead to significant emotional tension that builds until they are noticed, such as awkwardness and fear of interaction with people. However, the gentle obsession with dancing in these styles and private lessons and practice sessions are most commonly same-sex means that the traditional moral, physical, and spiritual divides are often bridged, and modern-day prejudice and assumptions have no place in the friendly and inclusive dancing communities.

4.3. Sense of Belonging and Community

Dancing fosters a sense of community. In life, we all want to feel like we belong, and dancing can provide that for us. Whether we are dancing with a partner or in a group, the shared experience of dancing with others helps to create and build on relationships. We spend time talking to people about the thing we love (dancing), and you get to know them. As you get to know people, the dances become a bit more special. You may start saving a specific dance for when a specific person is there, or you might choreograph something together. This sense of community can extend beyond the boundaries of the dance floor too. People attend different classes at different times and engage with different social events run by a dancing society. This provides people with an opportunity to see each other in a completely different environment, and in doing so, the relationships built through dancing can become more profound. In addition to this, the people who run the classes and events that you may attend will also start to recognize you. Over time, they might strike up a conversation, and that conversation could start anything. I have known people to build employment opportunities and long-lasting friendships through the sense of community that they have built through dancing. Finally, as well as connecting with other people in a social environment, the sense of community created through dancing can also bring together different generations. Many classes are open to people of all ages, and the social environment that is created provides a platform for older and younger people to come together and share something that they all enjoy. This helps to create a sense of cohesion and understanding between people who may not necessarily socialize together otherwise.

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Unconscious

Why dancing is good for you, how does dancing enhance our emotional, mental, and physical well-being.

Posted January 19, 2023 | Reviewed by Vanessa Lancaster

• What Is Resilience?
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• Recent research documents the benefits of dancing for physical, emotional, and cognitive health.
• An element of dancing that humans share is sensorimotor synchronization, the instinctual, trainable capacity to match a beat.
• Sensorimotor synchronization may have evolved to promote social bonding, bridging the gap between primates and humans.

The song plays, and your toe taps. The sport crowd chants, and your body sways. The band shreds and your head bobs to the beat. “You” don’t decide to tap, sway, or nod. The movement happens, and you notice. Why? Research suggests these small, subconscious movements hold keys to your mental and physical health.

Dance Research

Over the past 10 years, research into the health benefits of dancing has exploded. Reported benefits include not only physical outcomes (building strength, flexibility, coordination, and balance), 1 but emotional (impacting mood, happiness , and resilience ) 2 and cognitive (enhancing memory , orientation, and concentration ) 3 as well. These benefits span human life and appear across populations, from healthy college students to patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease and dementia . 4

As evidence builds, researchers ask, "How does dancing enhance our emotional, mental, and physical well-being?" What makes dancing effective ?

Sensorimotor Synchronization

One focus of this research is sensorimotor synchronization (SMS) or entrainment : dancing exercises a human’s instinctual ability to match a beat.

As Laura Cirelli at the TEMPOLab at the University of Toronto has found, humans not only respond to a beat within months of birth, 5 their ability to do so – their tempo flexibility – grows over time. A child can easily speed up and slow down by age seven, changing tempos within a 117 to 166 bpm range. 6

In learning any technique or tradition of dance, a person practices this capacity to synchronize, training it consciously to sense and respond to the rhythmic patterns of a given culture.

Elements of Synchronization

But what does SMS entail? For one, it requires a readiness to be moved by sound waves that occur in rhythmic patterns. In other words, the human auditory system is wired to notice spaced, repeating beats . This capacity is not surprising, perhaps, given the regular rhythms of our own hearts and lungs. A fetus swims in the pulse of a mother's heartbeat before laying down neural pathways needed to sense it.

Second, humans perceive rhythmic sequences as we hear them, and our bodily selves also mobilize a response that expresses itself in physical action. We tap, sway, and nod. Even if we try to suppress these outward actions, our heart rate, breathing, and even our brain waves align with the rhythms we perceive – regardless of whether those rhythms come from a passing train, a partner's pulse, or a favorite song.

Third, these movement responses are not simply reactions to what we hear. Our tapping, nodding, and swaying anticipate the next beat in the sequence so that our movements happen on or very close to the next beat. 7 We tap, sway, or nod in time. We get into the “groove.” 8 In other words, the rhythms humans perceive stimulate us to act anew.

Finally, evidence is growing that as humans synchronize to a beat, our brains release cocktails of “happy chemicals” – endorphins, serotonin, dopamine , and more. 9 Propelled by a beat to move with it, humans feel more aware, alive, and resourceful, and more able to push through fear and tolerate pain. This effect, moreover, is distinct from – though it may be enhanced by – the effects of physical exertion.

The Evolutionary Purpose of Synchronization

Ever since É mile Durkheim’s account of “collective effervescence,” anthropologists and sociologists have explained the evolutionary purpose of sensorimotor synchronization in terms of social bonding . 10 When humans move together in time, they share an experience of heightened joy. They perceive themselves as part of the larger community that made this joy possible. The distinction between self and other blurs.

Such experiences of melding, researchers suggest, primed humans to cooperate, 11 learn language, 12 and develop morals, religions, and cultures. 13 Dancing (as well as music) may have helped bridge the gap between primates and humans. 14

Yet, social-bonding explanations for the health benefits of dancing gloss over what may be even more fundamental: as humans exercise their capacity to synchronize, they get better at it. A trained sensorimotor synchronization integrates subconscious and conscious processes. 15

The implications are twofold. On the one hand, as humans dance, they grow more sensitive and responsive to the rhythms in and around them – even when they are not actively dancing. A heightened sensitivity to rhythm stays with us as we move through the day, boosting moods and cognitive abilities.

On the other hand, as this awareness develops, so does our capacity to discern whether or not synchronizing with a particular rhythm will enhance our health and well-being. Not all beats are life-enabling. As autocrats throughout history know, humans are vulnerable to being seduced to commit atrocious acts by speech and music, parades, and displays – that is, by rhythmic movement.

By training our capacity to synchronize, dancing provides us with a way to beneficially engage and enjoy what we are born ready to do.

Dancing is not a technology of the past beyond which humans have evolved. Dancing remains a vital practice for generating joy, motivating action, building physical strength and agility, and above all, cultivating awareness of how we are always sensing and responding to a rhythm.

So next time you feel the impulse to tap, sway, or nod, do yourself a favor.

Get into the groove.

[1] Fong Yan A, Cobley S, Chan C, Pappas E, Nicholson LL, Ward RE, Murdoch RE, Gu Y, Trevor BL, Vassallo AJ, Wewege MA, Hiller CE (2018), The Effectiveness of Dance Interventions on Physical Health Outcomes Compared to Other Forms of Physical Activity: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. Apr;48(4):933-951. doi: 10.1007/s40279-017-0853-5. PMID: 29270864.

[2] Vankova, Hana; Iva Holmerova; Katerina Machacova; Ladislav Volicer; Petr Veleta; Alexander Martin Celko (2014), The Effect of Dance on Depressive Symptoms in Nursing Home Residents, Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, Volume 15, Issue 8, 2014, Pages 582-587, ISSN 1525-8610, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2014.04.013 .

[3] Verghese, Joe M.D., Richard B. Lipton, M.D., et al. (2003), Leisure Activities and the Risk of Dementia in the Elderly. N Engl J Med; 348:2508-2516 https://DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa022252

[4] Hwang PW, Braun KL. (2015), The Effectiveness of Dance Interventions to Improve Older Adults' Health: A Systematic Literature Review. Altern Ther Health Med. Sep-Oct;21(5):64-70. PMID: 26393993 Free PMC article. Review.

[5] Zentner M, Eerola T. ( 2010), Rhythmic engagement with music in infancy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Mar 30;107(13):5768-73. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1000121107. Epub Mar 15. PMID: 20231438; PMCID: PMC2851927.

[6] Kragness, H. E., Anderson, L., Chow, E., Schmuckler, M., & Cirelli, L. K. (2022), Effects of groove on children’s motor responses. Developmental Science . Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13249

[7] Aschersleben, Gisa (2002), Temporal Control of Movements in Sensorimotor Synchronization. Brain and Cognition, 48 (1), 66–79. https://doi.org/10.1006/brcg.2001.1304

[8] Janata, P., Tomic, S. T., & Haberman, J. M. (2012). Sensorimotor Coupling in Music and the Psychology of the Groove. Journal of Experimental Psychology. General, 141 (1), 54–75. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024208

[9] Tarr, Bronwyn. Let’s Dance: Sychronized movement helps us tolerate pain and foster friendship (2015), The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/lets-dance-synchronised-movement-helps-us-tolerate-pain-and-foster-friendship-49835

[10] McNeill W.H. (1995), Keeping together in time: Dance and drill in human history . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

[11] Wiltermuth, & Heath, C. (2009), Synchrony and Cooperation. Psychological Science, 20 (1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2008.02253.x

[12] Kragness, H. E., Anderson, L., Chow, E., Schmuckler, M., & Cirelli, L. K. (2022), Effects of groove on children’s motor responses. Developmental Science . Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.13249

[13] Tarr B, Launay J, Dunbar RI. (2014), Music and social bonding: "self-other" merging and neurohormonal mechanisms. Front Psychol. Sep 30;5:1096. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01096. PMID: 25324805; PMCID: PMC4179700.

[14] Dunbar RI. (2012), Bridging the bonding gap: the transition from primates to humans. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. Jul 5;367(1597):1837-46. doi: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0217. PMID: 22641822; PMCID: PMC3367699.

[15] Repp BH. Sensorimotor synchronization: a review of the tapping literature. (2005), Psychon Bull Rev. Dec;12(6):969-92. doi: 10.3758/bf03206433. PMID: 16615317.

Kimerer L. LaMothe, Ph.D. , is a dancer, philosopher, and author of five books, including Why We Dance , Nietzsche's Dancers , and What a Body Knows.

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Four Ways Dancing Makes You Happier

Are you a dancer? While some of us might answer an adamant “No!” to that question, we were all dancers at some point. In fact, as a three-week-old baby, you were already starting to sync up your movements to the beat of any music you heard. And even if you now identify as a klutz with two left feet, I’ll bet you have trouble staying completely still when you hear your favorite tune.

Dancing is in our bones, and it’s more than just a fun form of entertainment, explain Julia F. Christensen and her colleagues in a 2017 paper . Cave art seems to suggest that humans were dancing as far back as 70,000 years ago, and it serves important functions for us.

Dance transports us into a state of flow where we forget about our troubles, which is good for regulating our biological systems and nourishing our long-term health. At a deeper level, it’s a way of getting in touch with our bodies and our feelings, allowing us to “try on” different emotions and see how they feel.

It turns out dance is a combination of several activities that are each good for us in their own right: exercising, listening to music, and connecting with other people. Remix those into one groovy package, and you’ve got a behavior that has potent benefits for our mental and physical health.

“Dance is an antidote to stress, a way to combat negative emotions, an elixir for the body, mind, and brain,” write Christensen and Dong-Seon Chang—an Argentine tango dancer and swing dancer—in their 2021 book Dancing Is the Best Medicine .

Hopefully, the many benefits of dance will motivate you to get up and move your body, whether it’s in a packed salsa club, at the next wedding you attend, or alone in your living room. Here are four reasons why dancing is good for you, according to science.

1. Dance makes us feel good

More than a decade ago, two local government organizations in Lincolnshire, U.K., partnered to create a program called Dance4Life to promote community health and well-being. Ultimately, they set up over 30 dance classes that attracted nearly 2,000 people.

As part of the program, researchers surveyed 330 people after they had taken about 8-10 weeks of dance classes. The majority of participants agreed that the program helped them improve their well-being and energy and make new friends. Many of them appreciated that dance could help them express themselves creatively and stay fit and healthy.

But the benefits of dance seem to go beyond the boost we get from exercising. For example, in a 2004 study , students spent 90 minutes doing African dance, practicing hatha yoga, or listening to a biology lecture. Based on surveys before and after, both yoga and dance helped reduce their stress and negative emotions. But dance also increased students’ positive emotions, while yoga didn’t have any effect (and learning about biology actually deflated people’s good feelings). 

A study of 133 college students back in the ’80s had similar findings. Here, a single session of dance class gave students a bigger well-being boost compared to a sports class (kayaking, fencing, or basketball) or a regular academic class like biology or literature. Dance made students feel particularly creative, intelligent, healthy, excited, and exhilarated. Compared to practicing sports, the dance students also felt more confident, relaxed, motivated, and energetic.

“Dancing automatically provides me with more strength in all areas of life. I feel my independence and autonomy as well as creativity and security and a strong vitality, love, and gratefulness for all being,” said a 25-year-old woman in another study . “I can accept myself better with all my strengths and weaknesses and can be fond of myself without reserve, without much judgment.”

Dance has two things going for it that exercise typically doesn’t: music and (often) a dance partner. But what if people danced alone or in silence?

In a 2009 study , 22 tango dancers ages 30–56 tried dancing in four different ways: together or alone, with or without music. According to the findings, only regular dancing (with partner and music) boosted people’s positive emotions. The researchers collected saliva samples to see what was going on in the dancers’ bodies, and found different effects: Music helped reduce cortisol, a hormone involved in our response to stress, while dancing with a partner increased testosterone.

Although you can certainly dance alone, many types of dance will find you in close contact with a partner or dancing in a group—bringing along a whole host of social benefits, too.

2. Dance brings us closer together

At dance events, people often mingle and chat before pairing off and heading to the dance floor. And then they experience another key aspect of dance: physical touch, ranging from holding hands to the full-body embrace of blues or tango.

As a 53-year-old dancer in one study said: “The social interaction satisfies my needs for group togetherness, closeness, and body contact. Even though verbal communication fades into the background during dance, we can cultivate friendships within the dancing community, which, to me, are very positive and important.”

Something also happens on a visceral level once we start moving in sync with other people: That physical synchronization can affect how we feel about each other. For example, in a 2016 study , 94 people participated in a “silent disco” where they learned dance routines and danced together wearing headphones with music. While some groups were fully synchronized, grooving with the same moves to the same tunes, other groups learned a different order of moves or danced to different music altogether. Ultimately, people who danced completely in sync felt closer to each other compared to the others.

“Dance may have been an important human behavior evolved to encourage social closeness between strangers,” write Bronwyn Tarr and her coauthors.

Dancing can be a way to connect not just with other dancers but with your culture and community. For example, dance is central to the cultural identity of indigenous tribes—and was banned at certain times in history alongside other indigenous cultural practices. Professor Sean Asiqłuq Topkok founded an Inupiaq dance group in Fairbanks, Alaska, to share his tribe’s traditions with young people, including values like humility, cooperation, and respect for nature.

“Traditional stories, including those conveyed through drumming and dance, can provide a meaningful educational approach for transmitting cultural knowledge, wellness, and identity to youth and future generations,” he writes with coauthor Carie Green in a 2016 book chapter .

Another book chapter from 2019 describes how West African dance to the djembe drum can help African Americans restore a connection to their culture and identity. Dance was also suppressed on slave plantations in the U.S., and reclaiming it alongside a community of other African dancers can help people experience healing amid the current realities of discrimination and racism, argue Ojeya Cruz Banks and Jeanette “Adama Jewel” Jackson.

“Regaining cultural fluency in West African dance can be a critical part of cultural, emotional, and spiritual restoration,” they write.

3. Dance helps with depression

Inspired by the mental health benefits of dance, a specific form of therapy called dance movement therapy emerged in the mid-1900s. It comes in many forms, but clients often use movement to observe patterns in themselves, act out challenges, and express emotion. Research suggests that dance movement therapy can help with depression, trauma, nervous breakdowns, chronic pain, and more.

Even if you don’t do formal dance movement therapy, dancing seems to be good for depression and anxiety all by itself. In a 2012 study , nearly 100 people with depression were split into three groups who learned tango, practiced meditation, or were on a waitlist for six weeks. The classes met for 90 minutes a week. Based on surveys, both tango and meditation helped decrease people’s depression compared to the waitlist group, while tango reduced their stress, as well. Afterward, when researchers offered participants a voucher for tango or mindfulness classes, 97% of the participants chose the free dance lessons.

Women are at risk of depression around menopause, so researchers in China invited women ages 44–55 to participate in square dancing classes. ( Square dancing in China is often done in public spaces for exercise, and is different from the American cowboy tradition.) Surveys found that square dancing five times a week for three months helped decrease depression at a vulnerable time of life for these women.

Again, dance seems to help with depression above and beyond just exercising or listening to music. In a 2007 study , 31 psychiatric patients with depression were split into three groups who danced to music, just listened to music, or rode on an exercise bike for three minutes. The first group danced to “Hava Nagila,” a joyful, upbeat song that involves holding hands and jumping. (The researchers actually chose this dance because there’s evidence that people who are depressed tend to move less vertically.)

Based on surveys, the dancers increased in motivation, coping, strength, energy, and enjoyment, and felt less anxious, tense, tired, and lifeless after just a few minutes of dancing. They also decreased in depression compared to the music listeners and exercisers.

Many people come to dance when they are experiencing hardships in life. On a night when you feel lonely but can’t bring yourself to call a friend, taking a stranger’s hand and losing yourself in the music can be appealing. People interviewed for one study saw dance classes as a lifeline, a secure, stable routine that they could cling to when the rest of life was chaotic and hard.

4. Dance helps us stay young

Joyful seniors dancing in their nursing home isn’t just a feel-good trope for TV; in fact,  a good deal of studies involve teaching dance to older people. In many ways, dancing is the perfect antidote to the challenges of old age, such as declining health, balance, and social connections. And learning dance seems to be good for keeping the brain sharp. 

In a 2007 study , 60 elderly Brazilians took ballroom dance classes for a year. The classes covered a wide range of swing, waltz, salsa, tango, and other styles of music. Based on open-ended questionnaires, people reported that dance improved their balance, flexibility, and coordination, and made them feel playful and relaxed. Not only did dance remind them of their youth, but it also helped them reconnect with Brazilian culture.

Researchers Maristela Moura Silva Lima and Alba Pedreira Vieira observed that the elderly dancers gained a sense of confidence, self-esteem, and elegance over the course of the year. Through dance, “the body may change from being a source of oppression to a source of freedom,” they write.

One condition in particular that researchers believe dance can help with is Parkinson’s disease. Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disorder that involves difficulties with movement, such as rigidity and balance problems, and many patients struggle with depression. In a 2014 study , 37 people ages 50–80 (most of whom had Parkinson’s or were caregivers for Parkinson’s patients) learned dances like the Charleston and the Saturday night fever dance. After 10 weeks of classes, participants were feeling less angry and experiencing more stable moods.

Another small study in 2012 invited a group of people with dementia and their caregivers to participate in 45-minute circle dance classes weekly for 10 weeks. In circle dances, which exist in cultures across the world, people dance individually but hold each other’s hands or shoulders. The classes in this study began with a warmup and then covered four or five different dances.

According to surveys of the patients and caregivers, dancing improved their quality of life in terms of health, energy, memory, and relationships. The researchers also observed positive changes in the group. Dancing seemed to help with people’s mood and concentration, and encouraged moments of warmth and empathy among the dancers.

For the caregivers, “the group helped them to acknowledge the reality of dementia diagnosis and process their feelings of grief and loss as well as see beyond the diagnosis to the person they cared for,” explain Michelle Hamill and her coauthors. “Music, dance, and movement facilitate a (non-verbal) dialogue through which people with dementia and those around them can communicate and connect more effectively.”

Unfortunately, many of us feel awkward when we dance; I know I do, even after 16 years of swing dancing. But self-consciousness doesn’t have to stop us. In fact, in one study , several people who found out they were supposed to dance opted out of the experiment altogether—and ended up missing out on the emotional benefits, which existed even for participants who felt awkward.

Thankfully, there are endless dance styles to try that can fit your personality, culture, and bodily limitations. Whether you’re the first one onto the dance floor or fighting your fears just to stand up, remember: Dancing is your human birthright.

About the Author

Kira M. Newman

Kira M. Newman is the managing editor of Greater Good . Her work has been published in outlets including the Washington Post , Mindful magazine, Social Media Monthly , and Tech.co, and she is the co-editor of The Gratitude Project . Follow her on Twitter!

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The Health Benefits of Dancing

Think you need to be a Dancer-with-a-capital-D to take a dance class? Fear you’re not coordinated or fit enough to tap into the rhythm of the music and let your body flow? You can probably come up with plenty of reasons not to dance, but in doing so, you’re missing out on the benefits of this multifaceted form of movement.

Whether you choose a fitness-focused class like Zumba , a craft-based class like jazz dance, or a form of dance with cultural ties, moving to a beat can challenge you both physically and mentally.

“Dancing is a workout in disguise,” says Jeimy Bueno Prisby, a Life Time elite performer and virtual performer development coach. It gets you moving, twisting, and shaking in all directions and brings your heart rate up. And it’s fun. “You forget you’re working out,” she says.

Physically, dance is a creative and effective cardio workout. It can help improve heart and lung function ; improve balance, agility, and coordination; and build some muscle and bone strength.

Emotionally, dance can be a phenomenal mood booster and stress reducer : Dancing induces your body to release serotonin and other feel-good hormones.

In addition to these benefits, multiple studies have found that dance provides cognitive, antiaging , and social boons as well.

• Social dance, including ballroom, Latin, and swing, has been shown to increase the size of the hippocampus, a region of the brain involved in learning and memory.
• Dancing improves cognitive flexibility, the ability to adapt to new or changing situations. This can help keep the mind sharp and is associated with reduced risk of dementia.
• Tango dancing is associated with improved balance and gait in older adults.
• Other benefits include the social connections formed with class­mates or a partner; the potential for ­enhanced cultural understanding (many forms of dance are linked to heritage); and the practice of embracing a beginner mindset by routinely learning new moves.

Consider this expert advice for letting go of preconceived notions about your dancing ability and finding a dance style that will help you get moving.

Get Out of Your Head

One of the most common stumbling blocks people face when debating whether to take a dance class is the fear of looking foolish.

“I have students who worry about embarrassing themselves, and I keep telling them, ‘Everybody is looking at themselves. No one is looking at you,’” says Niosha Nafei-Jamali, owner of Niosha Dance Academy, a dance studio in San Jose and Pleasanton, Calif., that specializes in Persian dance, belly dance, ballet, and Zumba. Keep that in mind lest your fear of judgment prevent you from joining a class.

If you’re nervous, consider taking a spot in the back of the room as you follow along at first, and then move closer to the front as you become more comfortable and confident, Bueno Prisby suggests.

Online dance classes are a great entry point for nervous beginners . Nafei-Jamali has recently been teaching classes via Zoom exclusively, and Bueno Prisby leads live classes via the Life Time Digital app.

Remember It’s a Skill

Many people assume they need inborn talent to dance, but that’s simply not true. “There’s nothing in our DNA or in our blood that says one person can dance and another can’t,” Nafei-Jamali explains.

She encourages students to abandon hang-ups around being good, especially when just getting started. Like any other activity or movement pattern, dancing is a skill you can develop and hone. Focus on feeling the rhythms and learning the steps; you can add style later.

What’s more important than whether or not dancing comes naturally is having a willingness to meet yourself where you are, regardless of age, ability, or fitness level. “Learning to dance is like learning a new language,” Nafei-Jamali says. “Give yourself time. And practice.”

Nafei-Jamali and Bueno Prisby suggest modifying moves as needed in ways that suit your body , skill level, and energy. When in doubt about how to modify a movement, communicate with your instructor.

Find a Class

Unless you have a strong preference or dislike for certain types of music or dance, there’s no reason not to try various classes until you find something that clicks.

The options at health clubs and dance studios run the gamut from fitness-forward dance classes, like Dance Jam, Zumba, Jazzercise, and Aqua Dance , to classes featuring skill-focused and culture-based styles , such as jazz, bachata, flamenco, belly dance, bhangra, and more.

Consider what type of music you like and whether you’re more interested in solo, partner, or group dancing. And be honest with yourself about your skill level and the experience required for a class. For instance, don’t sign up for an advanced swing class if you’re new to partner dancing.

If you’re hesitant to try a full-on dance class, dip your toe in the water with barre , which draws inspiration from ballet, or Pilates, which many dancers use to build strength or recover from injuries.

Once you find a class you’d like to try, sign up. “You might love it, or perhaps it’s not for you at the moment — but unless you try, you can’t say, ‘It’s not for me,’” says Bueno Prisby. “You have nothing to lose and all the smiles and move­ment to win.”

(Ready to move and groove like you’re on the dance floor — and get in a full-body cardio workout? Try this 30-minute version of Life Time’s Dance Jam class from the comfort of your home.)

This article originally appeared as “Let’s Dance” in the November 2022 issue of Experience Life.

Lauren Bedosky is a Twin Cities–based health-and-fitness writer.

Thoughts to share?

This Post Has 4 Comments

My mom, always intrigued by the art of dance, has decided to embark on a new adventure by joining an adult dance class, so hopefully she finds one soon. With a desire to stay active, embrace her creativity, and connect with others who share her passion, she looks forward to immersing herself in the joy of movement and discovering the transformative power of dance. Regardless of age, talent, fitness level, what matters is your desire to meet yourself where you are. Thank you.

My mom and her friends are considering looking into dance classes because they’re looking for a fun and active way to spend time together. They believe that learning to dance would not only provide them with a new skill but also promote fitness, camaraderie, and a sense of accomplishment as they challenge themselves in a different social setting. I feel like hearing how because dancing causes your body to release serotonin and other feel-good chemicals, it may be a tremendous stress reliever and mood enhancer on an emotional level would make them more excited. 

As a fun and active way to spend time together, my sister and her friends are thinking about getting into dancing courses. They think that taking dancing lessons will not only provide them with a new ability but will also encourage health, friendship, and a sense of success as they push themselves in a novel social environment. They could become more enthusiastic if they learned that dancing can be a powerful emotional stress reliever and mood booster since it triggers the production of serotonin and other feel-good chemicals in the body.

Lately, I’ve been missing the feeling of being on stage and letting loose, you know? The idea of joining a dance company just popped into my head because I’m craving that sense of community and the thrill of performing. It’s like, I’ve got these dance vibes itching to break free, and a company seems like the perfect outlet. It also helped to know that dancing to a beat may be physically and intellectually taxing, whether you select a class that emphasizes fitness like Zumba, a craft-based program like jazz dance, or a type of dance with cultural components.

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