“You Should Be Dancing, Yeah!”: Health Benefits Abound on the Dance Floor

As a health professional, I am often asked, “What exercise do you recommend for ____?” You

can fill this blank in yourself as the goals run the gamut. Both health aficionados and more static

types may need help finding a daily physical activity that meets their personal criteria. Busy

schedules, limited space, financial constraints, and sluggish activity levels may hinder people

with excellent intentions of healthier living from meeting their personal goals or ever even

getting started working toward them, for that matter. Among the options I recommend, dancing

is perhaps the most universally accessible for all levels of physical condition, work out space

limitations, and financial fluidity.

Physical Condition

Human beings come in all shapes and sizes. Those who maintain a healthy level of daily activity

are less likely to suffer from:

• heart ailments

• high blood pressure

• dangerous stress levels

• depression

• obesity

• diabetes

• sleep problems

• arthritis

• muscle cramps.

Those facing or hoping to stave off problems like those listed above may want to find a lifelong

activity to improve their health. They may also worry that any physical activity will be too

challenging for them. Whenever general mobility is present, some level of dance may be just

what the doctor ordered to help people of all ages ease on down the road to healthier lifestyles.

The benefits of dance are remarkable. Studies show a correlation between healthy

development, better mind-body coordination, and developmental success physically,

emotionally, and mentally for grade school children engaged in Dance Movement Practice

(DMP) or Dance Movement Therapy (DMT), and these benefits are evident even in groups

involving physically, mentally, and/or emotionally challenged students.

In adults, the benefits are just as obvious. Those of advanced age who engage in routine dance

activities, especially where repetition and choreographed steps are involved, work both their

physical and mental muscles. Some research even demonstrates that ailments like Parkinson’s

Disease, Alzheimer’s Syndrome, and related ailments are mitigated by frequent DMT.

For those of us in the prime of life, as well as for all pursuants, DMP or even very casual,

rhythmic dance motion offers several immediate benefits, including:

• regular aerobic exercise

• increased muscle flexibility

• immersive sensory experiences

• endorphins promotion/release

• lowered cortisol levels

• socialization/friend groups.

Joining a line dancing, ballet, or aerobics class is one way to put more motion into your life. You

might also look for clubs and other venues that include dancing in their offerings. When all else

fails, just turn on some tunes to get your groove on at home. It’s true—-you should be dancing,

yeah!