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. The following are the top 4 health benefits of dance.
1. Flexibility
Flexibility 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 to achieve full range of motion for all the major muscle
groups. The greater the range of motion, the more muscles can flex and extend.
Most forms of dance require dancers to perform moves that require bending and
stretching, so dancers naturally become more flexible by simply dancing.
2. 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 a dancer's own body weight. Many styles of dance,
including jazz and ballet, require jumping and leaping high into the air.
Jumping and leaping require tremendous strength of the major leg muscles.
Ballroom dancing builds strength. Consider the muscle mass a male ballroom
dancer develops by lifting his partner above his head!
3. Endurance
Dance is physical exercise. Exercise increases
endurance. Endurance is the ability of muscles to work hard for increasingly
longer periods of time without fatigue. Regular dancing is great for improving
endurance, especially vigorous dancing such as line and ballroom dancing.
Elevating the heart rate can increase stamina. Just as in any form of exercise,
regular dancing will build endurance.
4. Sense of Well-Being
Dancing is a social activity. Studies have shown
that strong social ties and socializing with friends contribute to high
self-esteem and a positive outlook. Dancing provides many opportunities to meet
other people. Joining a dance class can increase self-confidence and build social skills.
Because physical activity reduces stress and tension, regular dancing gives an
overall sense of well-being.
