Benefits of Dance

Dance Offers So Many Benefits!

fred astaire dance studioBallroom dancing combines a great physical workout, positive social interaction, and intense mental stimulation. These are all pluses for your life and well-being. Dance offers us many excellent physical and mental health benefits, while opening the door for the expression of creativity. It can expand your social life, reduce stress and depression, allow for relaxation – and it’s just plain fun. Considering all of these reasons for you to begin dancing, we challenge you to find a single good reason you shouldn’t.

BALLROOM DANCE IS A GREAT WORK-OUT!

fred-astaire-dance-studioBurn Fat / Lose Weight / Increase Metabolism.
Ballroom dancing is a low-impact aerobic activity that burns fat and can boost your metabolism. In just thirty minutes of dance, you can burn between 200-400 calories – that’s roughly the same amount as running or cycling! Burning an extra 300 calories a day can help you lose between ½-1 pound a week (and THAT can add up quickly). In fact, a study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that dance as exercise is just as effective for weight loss as cycling and jogging. Consistent dance instruction is also an excellent form of exercise for keeping yourself active while staying healthy and toned once you’ve reached your goal weight. And since ballroom dance is so much fun, you’re getting these benefits without feeling like you’re working out!

Increase Flexibility.
A reputable ballroom dance class will typically begin with a few stretching exercises, to get you prepped to execute dance steps with comfort & ease, and to protect against dance-related injury. The novice dancer will especially notice that the more you dance, the more flexibility and range of motion your body develops. Increased flexibility will help your dance abilities, decrease joint pain and muscle soreness after exercise, and improve core strength and balance. Yoga and ballet stretches can be extremely beneficial as pre-ballroom dance warm-ups, but be sure to talk with your Fred Astaire Dance Studios instructor about a recommended warm-up routine.

Increase Muscle Strength & Endurance.
The act of dancing forces a dancer’s muscles to resist against their own body weight, in turn, contributing to the build-up of muscle strength. The use of quick steps, lifts, twists and turns, will help you develop stronger muscles in your arms, legs and core as your lessons continue. Endurance (in this context) is the capability of your muscles to work harder and longer without succumbing to fatigue. Ballroom dancing as exercise is particularly effective at building up your endurance – so as you work on your dance steps, you are conditioning your muscles to perform these feats with less and less fatigue. And the added benefit is that you’ll look and feel strong, toned and sexy.

Great for All Ages.
Ballroom dance is an enjoyable activity for everyone – from children to senior citizens, which is another reason it’s such an effective form of exercise. At Fred Astaire Dance Studios, we work with students of all age groups, physical abilities and skill levels – and will create a custom dance program that’s comfortable yet challenging, and will help you attain your dance AND exercise goals.


Click the images below, to read more about the health benefits of Dance:

Harvard Medical School Logo Time Health Newsletter Logo psychology today logo npr logo Berkeley Wellness logo AARP logo

 


Click the images below, to read more about the social benefits of Dance:

Los Angeles Times Colors CNN Logo uplift-logo NY-Times

PHYSICAL HEALTH

fred astaire dance studioBallroom dance is an enjoyable activity for everyone – from children to senior citizens, which is another reason it’s such an effective form of exercise. At Fred Astaire Dance Studios, we work with students of all age groups, physical abilities and skill levels – and will create a custom dance program that’s comfortable yet challenging, and will help you attain your dance AND exercise goals.

MENTAL HEALTH

Research has found that ballroom dancing improves mental acuity throughout a dancer’s life – and that there are also substantial benefits to those who start ballroom dance as adults. Enhanced memory, alertness, awareness, focus, and concentration are all cognitive benefits that Ballroom Dance can help with. It can also prevent the onset of dementia and significantly improve spatial memory in elderly patients. Taking part in an activity like ballroom dance helps create more intricate neural pathways, which can ward off weakening synapses that often come with old age. The results can also be significant among younger dancers.  Swedish researchers studying teenaged girls with stress, anxiety and depression saw a decrease in anxiety and stress levels among those who took up partner dancing. They also saw noticeable improvement in mental health and patients reported being happier than those who did not participate in dancing. Partner dancing can also decrease loneliness among all age groups, because it’s a goal-oriented social activity that brings like-minded people together.

CONFIDENCE

Every opportunity to dance – whether during a lesson or a social event, whether with your significant other or a new dance partner – will help improve your comfort level, confidence and communication skills on and off the dance floor.  As your dance technique improves and you feel more at ease with other people, your sense of accomplishment, motivation and confidence will continue to increase. And even better… you will notice these new attributes taking root in other areas of your life as well.

SELF-EXPRESSION & CREATIVITY

Dancing is an easy activity for anyone to partake in as it tends to come naturally to people. Dance provides an emotional outlet to express your feelings through body movements, with passion and flair. Ballroom dancing can be a wonderful creative outlet to enhance your ability to permanently use these expressive qualities even when you are not dancing, and to share that creativity with others. After just a few lessons, you will start to find yourself moving more effortlessly through your dance steps, while you get lost in the music. You will unlock a beautiful rhythm your body may have been hiding. It can also help with your motivation and energy.

STRESS & DEPRESSION

It’s no surprise that in today’s fast-paced world, we sometimes forget to take a moment for ourselves. Dance lessons provide an enjoyable escape from your normal daily routine, plus a chance to relax, relieve stress, and focus just on yourself. Our students often tell us that even if they’re “not feeling it” when they arrive for a lesson, once they stretch and start dancing, they’re able to forget about the day’s events, simply breathe  and let the dance take over. There’s also a growing body of evidence to indicate that dancing has a positive effect on the treatment and prevention of depression

  • Group activities such as ballroom dance lessons can expand your sense of social “connectedness”, which is beneficial to lowering stress and depression levels
  • Ballroom dance is similar to the practice of mindful meditation (which has been shown to significantly reduce levels of depression and stress) in that it requires you to fully focus your attention, and be present in the moment. This meditative state can help you “switch off” the negative thought patterns associated with depression or stress. For those who are not interested in traditional meditative practices, ballroom dance can be a great way to reap the same benefits.
  • The physical act of dancing releases endorphins, and lowers the levels of stress hormones in our bodies. This produces a sense of alert calm, and improves mood and energy levels
  • Ballroom dance as anxiety or depression treatment is more likely to be voluntarily continued by participants than some traditional forms of therapy, which can further increases its effectiveness

SOCIAL FUN & FRIENDSHIP

fred astaire dance studioWe believe that one of the best aspects of ballroom dancing is its ability to bring people together. Ballroom dance lessons offer you a great opportunity to expand your social circle, build connections and engage with people in a low-pressure environment, where there are no expectations. It’s perfect for younger singles who want to step up their dating game, couples looking to reconnect, and for adults interested in discovering something new and inspiring, just for them.

Learning to dance does take focus and dedication, but you will be surrounded and encouraged by artistic, positive and cheerful people who make learning enjoyable and rewarding. In group lessons, weekly practice parties, regional and national competitions and studio events and outings, you’ll meet a melting pot of people of all ages, with varied cultural and occupational backgrounds. And the best part? Since they all share your passion for dance, these meetings often transition into lasting friendships outside of the dance studio. At Fred Astaire Dance Studios, we are truly proud of the supportive, welcoming and warm environment you’ll find in every one of our studios.

So why not try it out? Come alone or with your dance partner. Learn something new, make new friends, and reap numerous health and social benefits… all from merely learning to dance. Call today and join us for some FUN!

Read More +