Are you feeling down today? Take a deep breath and hold my hand. Relax and follow my lead. Step your left foot forward, step it back. Put your right arm in and put it out. Do the same to the left arm afterward. Make your hips groove to the music. The point is to have fun so you shouldn’t care if you look stupid or lame. I fancy dancers from a distance and one thing I’ve noticed about the most passionate ones. They never frown unless it’s part of the act. So get rid of all your apprehensions, strip down and open yourself to the music. Again, take a deep breath and enjoy the moment.
Ever since I was young, I have always been lanky. People often make fun of me, even those I consider my friends. I was orphaned young and adopted by a big family of dancers. My uncoordinated self grew up trying to keep up. There would be family parties we would attend where my parents would take over the dance floor. They could even be dancing at a corner and people would still take notice of their swag and talent. My first lesson when I was welcomed into their home was how to dance cha cha. I could still remember that fun night when we danced and grooved to great music. We often watch “So You Think You Can Dance” on schedule or when they have the time, even binge-watch past seasons of “Dancing with the Stars.” Our family loves music and dance to the beat, swaying our heads and snapping our fingers. We continued dancing when my mom discovered that she has Stage 4 breast cancer. She slowly lost her chemotherapy, yet we continued with the music and dancing. On our family’s last trip to the hospital, we never stopped dancing.
Dance. It could make one feel great. Leave the skill and talent to the professional ones. But if you’re just an amateur like me who enjoys how to dance, then you should know what benefits it gives to your life. We listed down 9 benefits that you may get from letting your body move and dancing to the groove of the music until you’re tired.
1. Dancing promotes good health for the heart and lungs.
Dancing is a test of endurance. You will find yourself catching your breathless when you dance more. Dancing as a cardiovascular exercise will increase your stamina, a great one characteristic of a healthy heart and lungs.
2. Dancing is a memory booster.
You may think it’s all fun but it also is very beneficial to your health. The practice will wake up the kinesthetic, rational, musical, and emotional functions of your brain. It will stimulate your brain and sharpen your mind through the years. You could expect that your chances of developing dementia or Alzheimer’s disease have been significantly reduced.
3. Dancing improves your body’s flexibility.
Never forget to stretch before and after dancing. Most of the time people skip this part but stretching is very important in dancing so you could have a wider range of motion when you dance. Post-stretching after a dance session is also important to help ease body pain and soreness.
4. Dancing could help curb depression.
In order for you to learn choreography, you must be present at the moment. This makes dancing a mindful activity that requires focus and alertness. When you are focused at present, it will reduce your anxious worries and thoughts. For some, dancing is also their way to release positive or negative emotions especially when words can’t encapsulate what they feel. Dancing is a form of expression.
5. Dancing can help you to lose weight.
As a cardiovascular exercise, you shed calories when you dance. You can even tone your body through regular dancing. You would feel productive with regular dance sessions because you are living an active lifestyle.
6. Dancing improves your muscular strength, endurance, and motor fitness.
You will be able to manage your energy from the first step down to the last one in a choreography when you’ve been dancing regularly. The more you dance, the longer you maintain your energy levels throughout a routine.
7. Dancing will build your self-esteem and boost your confidence.
Trust us, regular practice will make you better at dancing. You may not be a born gifted dancer but if you dedicate time to it and always show up in practices or tutorial sessions, then you would eventually become better. Aside from this, you care less about how you look and just give yourself to the dance. If you want to dance but shyness is the only thing that’s stopping you, then just do it. You will eventually become more confident and we guarantee you that it will have the most empowering feeling ever.
8. Dancing widens your network.
You will definitely meet people who also love to dance like you. You will most probably exude the same energy as they do. The more you attend class, the more people you meet and get inspired by. Always smile and be true to yourself when interacting with these dancers. The dance will even become more rewarding when you share it with friends who have the same passion.
*Bonus Tip: Have you ever attended an indoor spinning class? If yes, then you know for sure the rush of endorphins that comes right after or even during the class. Do your own spin class at home with the Home Office All-in-One Desk Bike or Bike Workstation (V9). You could be ensured with a whisper-friendly pedaling system and an easy-to-adjust seat cushion. You may adjust the resistance level based on your fitness level and goals.
So in an indoor spinning class, you dance and exercise at the same time with party music in the background. Enjoy the benefits of dancing and spinning even at home as soon as you invest in a desktop exercise bike.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article got you moving. Dancing has always been a big part of our lives as humans, whether you’re sad or happy. It doesn’t matter if you’re good at it or not; you will still inject movement in your life and promote a healthy lifestyle when you muster the confidence to dance.
