Top 10 Reasons To Dance
There are so many great reasons why you should dance, we found it hard to narrow them down, but here are Arthur Murray Crows Nest’s top 10 reasons we think you should start dancing!
1. Improved health
The health benefits of learning to dance are endless: the cardio exercise will improve your heart function, help tone muscles and lose excess weight; the constant shifting of weight will strengthen your bones; and the discipline will improve your posture, balance and co-ordination.
2. Mental alertness
Learning a new skill is a great way to keep mentally alert as you get older. Like any other muscle, your brain needs regular use to keep in tip-top condition. When you start dancing, you engage and challenge different parts of your brain, rewiring neural pathways to process new information helping to keep your memory sharp.
3. Emotional well-being
Dancing is not only fun, but it’s all-consuming and focusses on co-ordinating your legs, arms, body and head at all times, meaning that you simply won’t be able to think about any other of life’s worries. Enjoying yourself and forgetting your cares is a great stress reliever and the perfect antidote to a tough day.
4. Social whirl
Attending dance lessons regularly, and being partnered with each person in the class, will quickly expand your circle of friends. You and your classmates will bond over the shared learning curve of your new hobby which can lead to lasting relationships. As your confidence grows you’ll enjoy attending social dances and letting your hair down outside the class environment, and before you know it, dance will take over your life.
5. Self confidence boost
As your body, balance and posture improve, so too will your self-esteem. When you first start to learn to dance it may seem impossible, but as you begin to master the new skill, you’ll feel your confidence soar. Before long, the isolated steps you learn will turn into routines and the sense of accomplishment will give you further impetus to tackle increasingly complex choreography.
6. Express yourself
Dancing is more than simple steps, it’s being able to lose your inhibitions, feel the rhythm of the music and moving seamlessly with the beat. Dance offers a creative outlet like no other, where you can express your personality, both in movement and in dress. Not worrying about how you look is a very liberating experience and will give you a sense of freedom that’s good for the soul.
7. Become body aware
Not only will dancing help you become more aware of your own body, but it will help you read other people through their body language. By learning the subtle cues of your partner to gauge the next dance step, you’ll start to pick up the tell-tale signs of how others around you are feeling and you will soon be able to understand their emotions through their posture.
8. Explore cultures
Whether you enjoy the latin numbers, a bit of Bollywood or a classic ballroom dance, learning dance is more than just grasping the footwork – you can immerse yourself in the culture and history of your chosen dance and understand more about the roots of each style.
9. Someone special
Physical contact with another person brings an immense sense of well-being and so, by simply dancing with someone else, you will increase your inner peace. Whether you find someone special through dancing or you encourage a loved one to join your new passion, this intimacy will develop a powerful bond between you both. It’s easy to take someone for granted when you have been together a while, but dance couples often take a fresh look at their partner when they get into hold.
10. Have fun
Finally, and most importantly, dance is quite simply great fun! It doesn’t matter which style you choose, or how proficient you are, moving with the music is enough to put a great big smile on your face – so come on down to Arthur Murray Crows Nest today to give it a try.