Happy Dance Day!

Did you get up and boogie this past weekend?

International Dance Day was on April 29th! It was established by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute — starting in 1982. It was created to celebrate the importance and value of dance. Even though dance is seen as an art form, it is used in exercises for many people. Dance requires balance, strength, stamina and skill. A few movements dancers demonstrate require lots of agility and speed. That’s why many professional dancers have toned bodies and NEVER have stepped into the gym.

But you don’t have to be a professional dancer to get the benefits of dancing — or have a gym membership.

The dance involves movement in all directions, and it’s a lot of accelerating and decelerating. The movements performed while dancing needs a lot of control.  The changes in moving your body with control help exercise the muscles—building your strength and toning your physical appearance. The more you practice each step, the more your muscles adapt. But it depends on how much you push yourself. That’s common sense.

There are also benefits for mental health.

Many psychiatrists suggest dance to people with social anxiety or those people who have fear of public speaking. Dancing release feel-good hormones such as serotonin and endorphins. Even so, joining group dances — such as a class — can get you comfortable with being around people. And if you decide to sign up to perform, it will give you a sense of confidence to perform in front of a certain of a number of people watching you. Also, according to the Frontiers Integrity Neuroscience dancing help improve “white matter.” White Matter is like connective tissue that deals with thinking and memory. Usually, as we get older, it breaks down and become slower. That means the way you think may not as be as sharp and remembering thoughts easily will probably be a little difficult.

Whether or not you’re a professional dancer, it is recommended to dance to keep your mind and body happy. You don’t need a gym, weights or any professional experience. Moving to the kind of music you love is enough. And if you haven’t tried out Zumba yet, that could be a good start to dance yourself to a toned body.

Remember, “dance like no one is watching!”