6 Reasons Men Should Learn To Dance
Dancing is a fun and social way of getting regular exercise, yet men tend to view it as a more of a feminine past-time. We’ve compiled 6 compelling reasons why guys of all ages should reconsider and come along for a free trial dance lesson to find your funky feet.
1. All-round fitness
If you’re a gym-junkie, you probably work the same muscle groups every session in a series of repetitive exercises. If you’re gym-averse but know you need to get active, you’re probably looking for something more interesting to help get you moving and improve your fitness. Dancing is excellent for all-round health: it’s a great cardio workout, it keeps you fit and toned, increases muscle-mass and trims fat. Learning dance moves is a potent memory booster too because of the focus required to connect your body with the beat. And just like any cardio workout, dancing ultimately reduces stress and improves your overall mental and physical being.
2. Muscle bound
You can target a body area when you choose dancing for your workouts. Swing-based dances such as the Lindy Hop, Charleston or Jive are great for building up strong legs, firming the glutes and giving you a thigh and calf workout as you kick and flick through each step. More refined dances, such as the Waltz or Foxtrot, provide the perfect ab-attack as you need a solid core to maintain your frame. Latin dances are much more fluid and will get those snake hips moving.
3. Find new friends fast
If you lack the confidence to meet new people easily, dancing provides the perfect opportunity for happy mingling. And you don’t need to bring a partner with you to enjoy dance classes at Arthur Murray Crows Nest as all students are paired with different people throughout the evening. Your social network will grow along with your dancing moves because the more confident you feel about your footwork, the easier it will be to mix with friends and strangers alike.
4. Perfect partnership
Dance classes are a great way to bond, and even make an interesting first date, as they give you a shared interest and a new experience. Dancing breaks down personal and physical barriers as well as conversational ones, and you’ll soon find yourself toe-to-toe with someone before you even think about being self-conscious. Alternatively, if you’re looking to break the ice with someone in a structured social setting, having confidence about your dance steps creates the perfect foundation for catching a person’s eye and posing the question, ‘Would you like to dance?’
5. Dancing is easier than you think
Whether you think you have 2 left feet, or fancy yourself as having potential on the dance floor, there’s a style to suit you. The infectious beat of latin music lends itself to a fun time, and in dancing ‘circles’, it’s said that ‘if you can walk, you can Merengue’.
With our approach and instruction techniques, even the most rhythmically-challenged people can master Salsa basics, while the adventurous can choose the romantic Rumba. If you prefer something more traditional, the Waltz uses one basic step, while the Foxtrot offers a lively and entertaining dance with a formal framework. Swing is a style suitable to dancers with physical stamina and makes for a good workout too.
6. Macho, macho man
Let’s face it: women love men who can dance. It’s as simple as that. Perhaps it’s because they realise dancing requires core strength, split second precision and nimble agility. Recently, celebrity sportsmen at the top of their game have demonstrated the exertion and fitness required for dancing, on popular TV shows Dancing With The Stars and Strictly Come Dancing. Well co-ordinated moves involving the whole body and fancy footwork, rather than just side-stepping, have even been scientifically shown to be most appealing to potential partners.
7. Book a free dance class today
At Arthur Murray Crows Nest, we love beginner dancers. Don’t be shy, come and try a free dance class to see the fitness and social benefits for yourself. Register for a complementary lesson today!