Reap The Benefits of Country and Latin Dance Lessons
Lately we’ve shared how the numerous benefits of learning to dance in this year ahead can make 2015 your best one yet. From improving your love life to increasing your social circle, knowing how to Country, Swing or Latin dance is a game-changer on many levels, from social to physical to even emotional.
In the last blog, we shared how social dancing can relieve stress and help to strengthen connections with others. Before that, we posted on how knowing how to Country Two Step or Salsa dance builds confidence and can keep the often dreaded gym at bay by being physical on the dance floor instead. Today, we are going to explore even more perks of social dancing, beginning with how ballroom dancing is a wonderful preventative for dementia.
Yes, studies have shown that, in adults over 75 years of age, ballroom dancing has had the greatest effect on warding off Alzheimer’s and related diseases. Out-scoring reading, cycling and even doing crossword puzzles, dancing frequently was 76% more effective in mental health preventatives! Since learning and memorizing steps requires repetition, muscle memory and brain power, dancing has been shown to improve mental acuity, greatly decreasing risk of dementia.
Physically, upbeat dances like Swing dancing also help to release endorphins in your body, keeping your mind in great spirits and your body burning between 300 and 400 calories per hour. Now that’s a great two-for-one! Additionally, dancing is heart-healthy. In fact, facilities like the Flagstaff Medical Center offer ballroom dance lessons for rehabilitating the heart and other parts of the body like the knees in a safe manner.
Finally, for a longer-lasting and more fulfilling life, forming connections with others who have similar interests is essential. In a study by Jonathan Skinner from Queen’s University in Belfast, social dancing even created tolerance between those who normally had social tensions by bringing each other together and engaging with each other.
Today can be the day you begin your journey into social dancing! At Dance FX Studios in Mesa, Arizona, we have an amazing New Student Offer, which will allow you to explore the basics of popular social dances like the Country Swing and Bachata. The benefits of social dancing are yours for the taking, so what are you waiting for? Come visit us and let the fun begin!
