These days we don’t have many chances of getting enough exercise by simply going about our day. Most of us work in an office and are forced to sit at our desks for hours and hours. Even if were not doing much physically, we still get mentally exhausted and we go home and just lay on the couch, barely dragging our bodies around the apartment so we can get some of our chores done. With so many competitive dance shows like Dancing with the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance becoming extremely popular, it’s clear that we have a natural fondness for this “language”. We like to see the way people can express emotion though body movements. The thing is we prefer to sit and watch other people do it. Well how about you replace the gym with dancing classes? We made a list of reasons why this might be the best way of getting some exercise and staying healthy.
What’s great about dancing is that it’s fun and social so it doesn’t feel like work but you’re actually burning a lot of calories. This makes it a great way of shedding a few extra pounds. The variety in movements engage more muscle groups in a shorter amount of time. This means you don’t have to remember that this is leg day or ab day. Another plus is that the music keeps you motivated and you don’t feel yourself getting tired and bored the way you do when you’re just performing routine motions, like it’s another chore on your list.
If you have health issues that limit your mobility you can choose appropriate forms of dancing such as the Tango, Waltz and Foxtrot which are gentler on your joints than more standard forms of exercise. In fact, you could watch videos of Craig Revel Horwood dancing to understand how you can increase the strength of your bones and joints through this type of work-out. You can discuss any concerns you have regarding the intensity of the class with your instructor and they’ll assist you in making modifications.
When you’re dancing, your heart rate increases because it needs to pump more oxygenated blood to your muscles. Taking dancing classes on a routine basis conditions your cardiovascular system to perform at a higher level and thus increases its endurance. In turn, this reduces your chances of developing heart disease and high blood pressure.
The effect on your cardiovascular system also has benefits for your brain as more oxygenated blood will go through its network of arteries. At the same time, the movements and routines you have to learn and remember and the fact that you have to pay attention to the music to get cues and when to perform these movements creates new neural pathways. This keeps your mind sharp. A study published in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience shows that dancing has the strongest effect on reversing the effects of aging on the brain which reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.
By now we’ve all become familiar with the effect stress has on our health from insomnia, trouble concentrating, constant worrying which leads to anxiety, feeling drained of energy, headaches and digestive issues. Dancing forces you to remain in the moment so you can focus on learning the movements and doing them on cue. This gives you a chance to get away from the constant ruminating which has been show to lead to anxiety and depression. Oftentimes taking a break from analyzing a problem is the best thing you can do to find a solution and make the best decisions. Dancing also makes your body produce more endorphins which will have a noticeable effect on your mood, quality of your sleep and your resilience to stress.
You could get all the benefits we listed above by simply dancing in front of the mirror for 30 minutes every day, but there’s something special about dancing with others. For one thing, you get to see them messing up the steps as well so you become less critical of yourself. Another aspect is that you get to be around people as they’re learning a new skill and they’re in a good mood from the endorphins. This makes it easier to bond, it feels like you’re all growing together. You’ll see them every week and get to know them better and better. Many groups start to go out for drinks or dinner after class and build friendships. This gives you a change to expand your social circle and improve your communication skills.
Granted, dancing is an universal language but have you noticed how different dance forms are based on the culture where they originated? That’s because we use dancing to express our collective identity, our values, the way we see the world and interact with it, most importantly the way we relate to each other. By delving into these different dance styles, you also expand your horizons, you experience the way other cultures express their feelings and inner selves through movement.
In the beginning you’ll feel awkward dancing in front of others, especially moves you don’t exactly master but, since you can tell that your colleagues are going through the exact same thing, it becomes funny and enjoyable. The fact that you see yourself and the others improving every week gives you that feeling of being rewarded for your efforts and makes you more confident about overcoming other challenges. Dancing also makes you feel more connected to your body in a similar way yoga does. This improves body image. You’re essentially discovering your body and what it can do. You’ll no longer see it as just a vehicle that gets you from point A to point B and which has to look a certain way. You’ll see at part of you, not something separate. It’s hard to explain the feeling. You have to go through it yourself to understand what an incredibly positive effect this has on the way you feel in your own skin.
