So, Why Dance?
You see people doing it all the time. Moving your body around to music may seem like a silly and pointless thing to do, or perhaps you don’t feel coordinated enough to do it. But once you understand the many benefits of dance, you just might think again. Dancing is a great way for people of all ages to get and stay in shape. Besides being fun, dancing has many positive health benefits. In this article you will learn the many benefits of Dance.
7 Reasons to Start Dancing
- Flexibility – Flexible is an important part of being healthy. Dance requires a great amount of flexibility. Most dance classes begin with a warm up including several stretching exercises. Dancers must strive achieve full range of motion for all the major muscle groups. The greater the range of motion, the more muscles will flex and extend. Most forms of a dance require dancers to perform moves that require bending and stretching, so dancers naturally become more flexible. Stretching is necessary to exercise, as it stretches out muscles before harsh sudden movement, thus preventing injury.
- Strength – Strength is defined as the ability of a muscle to exert a force against resistance. Dancing builds strength by forcing the muscles to resist against the dancers own body weight. Many styles of dance, including ballet, swing, and even hip hop, require frequent jumping and leaping into the air, which require tremendous strength of major muscles. Every dance, no matter the movement requires frequent engagement of muscles, which overtime builds strength. It’s a perfect way for seniors to build strength without the harsh exercises that a gym requires.
- Increased Memory – Dance not only instills grace but can also help you age gracefully. Studies show that dancing may even boost your memory and prevent you from developing dementia as you grow older. The hippocampus, which is a part of the brain responsible for memory, naturally shrinks during late adulthood, which can lead to impaired memory and sometimes dementia. Frequent dancing can slow down this process, keeping the memory fresh and crisp.
- Reduce Stress and Diminish Depression – If you are feeling stressed researchers found that partner dances paired with music can help bring about stress relief. Engaging with others in a fun physical environment can actually help release pent up stress that accumulates in our daily lives. We all need some sort of release from stress and dancing can be a fun way to do that. Dancing can even lift spirits. Case studies on depression revealed that patients who participated in upbeat dance groups showed decreased depression symptoms. Have the blues, pick up some dancing shoes and grab a friend.
- Increase Endurance – Dance is a type of physical exercise. All exercises increase endurance. Endurance is the ability of muscles to worker harder for increasingly longer periods of time without tiring out. Dancing regularly is a great way to improve endurance, especially vigorous dancing such as line dancing and ballroom dancing. These types of exercise elevate the heart rate, thus increasing stamina.
- Boost self-esteem – Dancing is a social activity. Studies have shown that strong social ties and socializing with friends contribute to increased self-esteem and a positive outlook. Dancing is also a great way to meet other people. Joining a dance class can increase self-confidence and build social skills. Since dance is a type of exercise, and exercising promotes good health, regular dancing can give an overall sense of well-being.
- Weight Loss– Bored of the treadmill and the gym? Studies have found that dance training is just as helpful and equal for weight loss and increasing aerobic power as cycling and jogging. Because dancing requires frequent movement, you are constantly burning calories. Not to mention more fun to do, so you are more inclined to do it.
There you have it. With all the many benefits of dancing, what are you waiting for? Look up dance classes near you and get moving to the groove.