DANCE TO THE BEAT OF YOU

Ballroom Dance is the expression of the soul through movement, bodylines and shapes used as a form of expression and interaction among two people. This form of dance embodies emotions and tells a story while it combines the technical exactness of the action and the sublimeness of the feeling that the form brings up within itself. Ballroom dance unites the ability of connecting, feeling and expressing ideas through a non-verbal communication process between two individuals, as they move around the dance floor, work together with each other and tell a story as one couple.

            Ballroom dancing is a holistic activity that provides numerous physical benefits that help individuals to delay the aging process, as well as its consequences in the body and the brain; this activity adds many psychological incentives for people of all ages: it improves their self-confidence, releases them from tensions, gives them a sense of achievement, and encourages them to become happier; the amount of social benefits gained through ballroom dancing are related to the sense of belonging to a small, safe community where everyone is welcome, appreciated, and supported.

According to Thomas McKeeff’s studies, “Recent estimates suggest that 5.4 million people in America currently have Alzheimer’s disease and that one in eight older Americans will eventually develop Alzheimer disease”. Aging is a part of people’s life maturing process, and it comes with many risks of degeneration of the body and brain. The risks associated with developing Alzheimer’s disease are not only for the elderly; it could also begin to affect people in their early adulthood. Alzheimer’s disease takes away people’s fundamental nature. The degenerative disease is a terminal illness with out a cure.

According to many studies, brain-stimulating activities such as ballroom dancing strengthen a person’s cognitive system; it enhances the ability to prevent dementia and delay Alzheimer’s disease. In “Use It or Lose It: Dancing Makes You Smarter,” Richard Powers expresses:

“A major study added to the growing evidence that stimulating one’s mind by dancing can ward off Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia, much as physical exercise can keep the body fit. Dancing also increases cognitive acuity at all ages…”

Moreover, dancing is an activity with tremendous amount of cardiovascular action. It incorporates every bone and muscle in the body, which helps to improve balance, coordination, and motor skills. As Thomas McKeeff explains, “We think that a fun, supportive, learning environment of ballroom dancing may capture all of the benefits that are associated with delaying and decreasing the risk of dementia.”

Equally important, ballroom dance is an activity that increases self-confidence, self-assurance and self-appreciation on and off the dance floor. It is a well-known fact that dancers carry themselves in a more conscious way than those who do not dance. Dancers tend to pay a lot of attention to their body-fitness and eating habits as a result of the progress they feel while mastering their dancing abilities.

Ballroom dance has become a harmless way to overcome shyness as well as improve social skills. While learning to dance, students practice their moves with different partners (dance instructors and other students) developing their communication and comfort level with each other. In her article “Get into the Groove: The Benefits of Dance,” Selene Yeager describes, “Swing dancing is done with a partner, and that "touch factor"—along with high-energy music—helps trigger a rush of the mood-elevating hormone oxytocin.” Little by little, students begin to notice the progress in their techniques and feel more comfortable with the rest of the people around them, as their motivation and confidence continues to rise. Furthermore, students become aware of these qualities in other areas of their lives. Additionally, Selene Yeager states in her article:

“The ample flow of mood-improving chemicals that dancing releases means, of course, that raising the roof can elevate your mental state. Just one lively dance session can slay depression more than vigorous exercise or listening to upbeat music, according to a study in The Arts in Psychotherapy. Getting jiggy with others also leads to less stress and stronger social bonds, key factors in both mental and physical health, says Verghese.”

In addition, there are countless social benefits associated to ballroom dance such as feeling part of a unique community united by the “love of dance” as well as meeting new people and making new friends. The atmosphere among students at the studio is warm, inviting, peaceful, and welcoming; there is a great sense of community, and everyone is invited to be part of it. In her essay “Long-Term Benefits of Ballroom Dancing”, Erica Gilliland enlightens,

“Due to the fact that it is a social activity, it also offers a more sociable lifestyle along, which can heighten confidence. Social activities such as mingling which go hand in hand with ballroom dance can also decrease stress and depression. The social aspect of ballroom dancing also makes it a more enjoyable form of exercise, thus increasing likelihood of frequent and repeated exercise, therefore reaping better physical benefits.”

When couples participate in an out-of-town dance competition, everyone is excited to know the results as they all connect through social media. Students are constantly talking and sharing information between them about their friends; it does not matter how small and insignificant the detail might be. Almost every dance studio possesses a genuine support system, rarely found in other places and activities, that gives students the desire to keep dancing in this emotionally strong, artistically supportive and yet well-structured community.

The studio is a facility where students have the opportunity to relate to other individuals, in which most cases and under other circumstances, they would not have met nor gotten to know each other. Numerous students have begun strong friendships that have lasted many years.

Furthermore, the dance studio becomes the place where people from all sorts of backgrounds, ethnicities, religions as well as economic and social classes get to meet every week to share their hobby and have fun together. This physical space provides a safe environment where students can meet each other with out the awkwardness of blind dates or speed dating. Whether students are looking for a romantic partner or not, they can respectfully connect with other dancers in a physical and emotional way.

Finally, many people start to feel the benefits of ballroom dancing as soon as they take their first dance class. The perfect combination between getting the body in motion and obtaining visible results, learning a new form of communication while meeting new people and making new friends, and a welcoming, care-free, and fun environment, is what makes ballroom dancing one of the best physical, psychological and social activities for anyone at any age to enjoy.

Works Cited

Gilliland, Erica. “Long-Term Benefits of Ballroom Dancing.” 18 Oct. 2012. Web.

Powers, Richard. “Use It or Lose It: Dancing Makes You Smarter.” Standfor Dance.           30 July 2010. Web.

Thomas McKeeff. Rhythm Break Cares “Shall We Dance? Alzheimer’s Takes a Spin with Ballroom Dancing.” Every Day Health. 6 Jan. 2014. Web.
Yeager, Selene. “Get into the Groove: The Benefits of Dance.” Women’s Health Magazine. 6 Aug. 2012. Web.