Are you confident that you can dance? You don’t have to be a professional dancer to learn. Dancing is a fun and social way of working out your body. Dancing, from salsa to ballroom, strengthens your heart and builds strong bones and muscles. Dancing is such a fun activity, it’s easy to forget that you are working out.
Dancing has many health benefits
Dancing is a combination of weight-bearing exercise and aerobic. Dancing has many benefits for your physical and mental health, including:
- Better heart health
- Stronger muscles
- More balance and coordination
- Stronger bones
- Lower risk of dementia
- Memory enhancement
- Stress reduced
- More energy
- An improved mood
Different types of dance
There are many dance styles that can be used to suit any mood or personality. The type you choose will depend on the availability in your area, your taste in music and dance. You can go back to what you did before and continue where you left off. You may also decide to try something completely new.
These are some dances you might like to try:
- Salsa
- Flamenco
- Ballroom
- Tap
- Swing
- Square dancing
- Contra dancing
- Belly dancing
- Line dancing
- Tango
- Jazz dancing
- Ballet
- Modern dance
- Hip-Hop
- Folk
- Clogging
There are other ways to dance
Traditional dance may not be your thing, but there are many other ways to move to the beat and music. Zumba is a popular dance class offered by many fitness and health clubs. These classes combine moves from different styles into a vigorous, fun program that is suitable for all levels of fitness and ability. You can also dance in your home with DVDs and video games. They can be borrowed from the library or bought. You can also turn the music up at home and have your family dance in your living area.
What is Dancing Compared to Other Exercises?
Dance can give you a workout depending on what type of dance you do and how long you do it. Ballroom dancing, for example, will give you a moderate workout. This exercise is comparable to what you get from running briskly, or doing water aerobics. The majority of ballroom dancing burns approximately 260 calories an hour. You can get a stronger workout by dancing more intensely, like salsa or aerobic dancing. This is comparable to running or swimming laps. These types of dancing can help you burn as many as 500 calories per hour.
How do I get started?
You can find classes at community centers, dance schools, and health clubs. Do not worry if there is no partner. If you don’t have a partner, many classes will help you find one. A partner is not required for certain types of dancing like tap or line dancing. A beginner class is a good option if you’re new to dancing or have been inactive. It will be much easier to follow and reduce your chance of injury. You can move on to more advanced classes as you improve your fitness and skill. You might even consider adding new types to your dance repertoire. Are you unsure which type of dance is best? Ask to see a few classes. Be patient once you have started a class. Learning how to move your body and feet with the music can take time.
