DANCE as though no one is watching you,
LOVE as though you have never been hurt before,
SING as though no one can hear you,
LIVE as though heaven is on earth
Alfred Souza
Ah the joys of dancing. It’s one of those things that will pick you up and dust you off and get you smiling and living and thinking positively. Don’t have a partner? No big Deal – you can twirl and whirl by yourself. Just put on some happy music – I like Queen Ida and her Bon Ton Zydeco Band – and get up off your butt and on your feet and start moving!
Dancing has many natural health benefits. If you want to lose weight but hate exercising, dancing is the perfect way to get some movement going without calling it that dreaded word “exercise!” Dancing can burn up to 10 calories per minute depending on intensity and speed of the dance. Naturally, swing and salsa dancing burns more calories than a slow waltz. Dancing combines stretching and toning and bending, all vital to staying healthy, young and strong. Dancing strengthens our lungs and hearts, and builds strong bones with its weight-bearing activity. Dancing keeps us naturally younger as it improves our memory and exercises our brains when we have to memorize the steps, routines and patterns for each type of dance. Dancing improves balance and flexibility and exercises our central and peripheral nervous systems.
The very simple act of getting up and moving will put you in a better mood. Dancing increases the production of endorphins, those “feel good” brain chemicals that reduce stress and depression.
Dancing by yourself is an instant mood lifter. Even better is to go out and dance. Dancing is a social activity, whether it be with your very own partner or a partner that you dance with in a dance class. In most countries around the world, people dance with people, women dance with women, and they all have a good time. Don’t let not having a partner stop you. Go to a dance class – you never know – you might meet your perfect partner out on the dance floor.
See Previous Post – D is for Dancing and Dance Shoes and the Resilience of Women
