Dancing is a great way for people of all ages to get in and stay in shape.
Besides being fun, dancing has many positive health benefits.
The following lists just four health benefits of dance.
1. Flexibility is an important part of being healthy.
Dance requires a great amount of flexibility. Most dance classes begin with a warm-up including several stretching exercises.
Dancers must strive to achieve full range of motion for all the major muscle groups.
The greater the range of motion, the more muscles can flex and extend. Most forms of dance require dancers to perform moves that require bending and stretching, so dancers naturally become more flexible by simply dancing.
2. Strength is defined as the ability of a muscle to exert a force against resistance.
Dancing builds strength by forcing the muscles to resist against a dancer’s own body weight.
Many styles of dance, including jazz and ballet, require jumping and leaping high into the air. Jumping and leaping in dance moves require tremendous strength of the major leg muscles.
3. Ballroom dancing builds strength
Dance is physical exercise.
Exercise increases endurance.
Endurance is the ability of muscles to work hard for increasingly longer periods of time without fatigue.
Regular dancing is great for improving endurance, especially vigorous dancing such as line and ballroom dancing.
Elevating the heart rate can increase stamina. Just as in any form of exercise, regular dancing will build endurance.
4. Dancing is a social activity.
Studies have shown that strong social ties and socializing with friends contribute to high self-esteem and a positive outlook.
In that regard, dancing provides many opportunities to meet other people.
Joining a dance class can increase self-confidence and build social skills.
Because physical activity reduces stress and tension, regular dancing gives an overall sense of well-being.
Grand Forks Recreation will be offering Beginner Ballet, Country Two Step, Waltz and Jive lessons.
Instructor May Berge will be offering three dance classes—Country Two Step, Waltz and Jive lessons —on Monday evenings at the Perley school gym from 7-9 p.m., Oct. 21 to Nov. 25.
Instructor Gislea Ko will be offering Beginner Ballet lessons on Wednesday evenings from 6-7 p.m. at the Grand Forks Arena Viewing room from Oct. 2 to Dec. 4.
Pre-registration deadline for Ballet classes is Sept. 25 and Monday night dance lessons deadline is Oct. 15.
Registration fee for any dance class is $55/person for 10 hours of dance instruction.
For information about fall dance lessons or to register, please give Grand Forks Recreation department a call at 250-442-2202.
- Submitted by Lilly Bryant, Grand Forks Rec