If you could do something to prevent memory loss later in life, would you know what to do?
Doctors and researchers list five preventative actions as being beneficial for preventing, or delaying, Alzheimers or Dementia, and the way I see it, ballroom dance has got them all.
#1 Physical Exercise
You bet, dance is it. While it looks sleek and sexy, ballroom dance is quite the workout! Move your body, use your mind, coordinate hands, feet, dips and twirls. This is some of the best exercise around – especially because you don’t realize how hard you’re working out!
#2 Learn Another Language
If you’re dancing with one of our instructors from Europe, you’re bound to pick up new words in a foreign language. What’s more, the language of dance may be a foreign language to you! You’ll surely learn new words and new phrases.
#3 Play a Musical Instrument
Your feet tap a beat to the music. Your heart thumps rhythmically. You sway and bend to the rhythm. It may be a reach, but I’m going to count dancing as playing a physical musical instrument.
#4 Memorization
No doubt, ballroom dance employs memorization – muscle memory as well as mindful memory! You learn new steps, new counts, how to coordinate, how to move to the beat. You memorize dance steps. It’s the name of the game.
#5 Socialization
At our studio, you can’t help but socialize. And frankly, ballroom dance is a social endeavor. What’s more, we have private lessons, group lessons and dance parties, so you can be as social as you want, every day of the week!
People are willing to do anything to prevent or offset memory loss. The way I see it, ballroom dance is a very easy way.
Back in the days when I was in the food business, I represented a big national oat company. I remember in the 1980s, when news broke of the power of oat fiber to help prevent heart disease, sales skyrocketed. Everyone wanted to eat oats to help keep their hearts healthy.
This is what it’s like with memory loss. You can’t start to lose your memory and then say, “I’ll dance to make this stop.” It doesn’t work that way. You have to do these five things, NOW, so that a decade or two or three in the future, you won’t face memory loss.
Do what you can to stay healthy throughout your life. Seems like dance might just be the ticket.