How does dance benefits your body?

Dancing not only benefits your body but also your mind, By exercising through dancing you can improve your body posture, tone your entire body, and improve your coordination. With dancing, you acquire greater physical flexibility, as most dances require stretching and extending your muscles.

Here are 8 health benefits of dancing:

Studies show that dancing can help you lose weight, stay flexible, reduce stress, connect with people, make friends, and many more. 

• Boost your memory

According to studies, dancing may boost your memory and can prevent you from developing dementia as you get older. Science reveals that aerobic dancing exercises can reverse volume loss in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory.

• Improve flexibility

Ballet dancers practice those plies and arabesques not just for aesthetics or for the show, but they actually practice those to increase their flexibility No need to get your own ballet slippers. You can improve your flexibility by practicing some simple stretches at home. Increasing your flexibility will help ease joint pains and post-exercise soreness. 

• Reduce stress

According to a controlled study in the Journal of Applied Gerontology, researchers found out that a partner dance such as tango or ballroom dance with musical accompaniment can help bring about stress relief.  If you’re feeling stressed out, try to grab a partner and start dancing out!

• Decrease Depression

Some studies show that patients with depression who participated in an upbeat group dance showed the least depression symptoms and the most vitality. Dance can really lift up your spirits and reduce your personal blues. 

• Keeps your heart healthy

Dancing is a great activity for people at risk of cardiovascular disease or people with a weak heart. An Italian study shows that people with heart failure who start waltzing improved their heart health, breathing, and quality of life significantly compared to those who took up biking or walking on a treadmill for their exercise regime. 

• It helps you lose weight

Studies show that exercise programs with aerobic dance training and movements are just as helpful for losing weight and increasing aerobic power as jogging and cycling. 

• Better Balance

Some dance forms such as tango help improve balance in aging adults. Dancing requires a lot of fast movements with good posture. Regular dancing can help stabilize and gain better control of your body balance. 

• Increases your energy

Research shows that enrolling in a weekly dance program could improve physical performance and increase energy levels, especially among adults. Morning dance and stretch routines help give your body the energy you need to start your day. 

Daily or regular dancing helps your body burn calories without you realizing it. Doing half an hour of dancing can even burn between 200 to 400 calories, which is much more than what you burn through running or swimming. Dancing in a group helps both your social relationships and your emotional well-being. 

Dancing vs Other exercises

So, the workout you get from dancing will depend on the type of dance you do and for how long you do it. For example, doing ballroom dancing will give you a moderate workout. You will get, almost the same level of exercise you get from walking or doing water aerobics. Some types of ballroom dancing can burn about 260 calories in an hour. 

Intense types of dance like salsa or aerobic dancing will give you a more vigorous workout that is similar to jogging or swimming laps. You can burn up to 500 calories an hour with this type of dance. 

Let’s get started!

HOW-TO get started with your dance workouts?

There are a lot of options when it comes to starting your dance routine. You can quickly start small and look for dance exercise videos on the internet to do every morning or every day.  Another way is to look for classes or programs at dance schools, studios, clubs, or community centers. You don’t even have to worry if you do not have a partner in tow. Many classes will recommend a partner if you do not have one. Some types of dancing do not even require a partner.

If you are just starting out on dance or inactive, start with a beginner class. Enrolling in a beginner class will be easier to follow and reduce your risk for injury. As you go along and build your skill and fitness, try going for a more advanced class. You may even want to try new dance forms as well. 

Here at The Art Aspect, you have an open and safe space where you can start your dancing exercise, not just to learn how to dance but to keep fit and start a healthy lifestyle. Not sure what type of dance to start with?- We can help you choose the right one to get started. 

If you’re a beginner, you need to be patient, it can take some time to learn how to move your body and feet together with the music. 

It is best to enjoy every moment and enjoy the benefits of dancing as you dance daily.  No matter what kind of dance you want to try out, it can be Zumba, tango, flamenco, or even hip-hop, it will help you exercise your whole body and stay in shape. So it’s time to get started and dance your way to a healthy, fit and happy you.