Why Dancing Is the Best Thing
You Can Do For Your Body
D
ance floors tend to be sweaty places for a reason. All of those
shimmies and shakes burn energy like you wouldn’t believe—and come with
many other surprising health benefits, too.
When you cut a rug, you can expend more than 300 calories every half-hour,
according to a report from the University of Brighton in the UK. That meets
or exceeds the amount of energy you burn during an easy run or swim, the
report shows. Even relatively tame forms of dance burn about the same
number of calories as cycling.
Dancing demands a lot of energy output because it involves “movement in
all directions,” says Nick Smeeton, a principal lecturer at the University of
Brighton and coauthor of that report. While running, swi mming and other
propulsive forms of physical activity use rhythm and momentum to keep
you moving, “there is a lot of accelerating and decelerating in dancing,
which the body is less able to do in an energy efficient way,” Smeeton says.
If running is like driving on a freeway, dancing is more like motoring
through a busy city, he says. All of that starting, stopping and changing
directions burns a ton of fuel even though you’re not covering a lot of
ground.
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Of course, the amount of energy you expend has a lot to do with how hard
you’re pushing yourself. A gentle two-step isn’t going to measure up to an
intense, hilly run. But torching calories isn’t the only upside to dancing.
Just as trail running and hiking better engage your lower-body joints and
muscles than straight-ahead, level-ground locomotion, the up-and-down
and side-to-side movements of dance may likewise activate and train many
of your body’s little support muscles and tendons.
Like other forms of cardio exercise, dancing also seems to have mood and
mind benefits. A 2007 study found that hip hop dancing improved energy,
buoyed mood and lowered stress in ways similar to aerobic exercise.
A more recent study, published earlier this year in Frontiers in Aging
Neuroscience, linked dancing to improved “white matter” integrity in the
brains of older adults. Your brain’s white matter can be thought of as its
connective tissue. That tissue tends to break down gradually as we age,
which leads to a loss of processing speed and the thinking and memory
problems that arise later in life, says Agnieszka Burzynska, an assistant
professor of neuroscience at Colorado State University and that study’s first
author.
Burzynska and her colleagues looked at white matter changes among older
adults engaged in regular walking, stretching or dancing programs. White
matter integrity declined among the walkers and stretchers, but improved
among those who danced three days a week for six months. “We saw this
benefit in one area of the brain, not everywhere, and our findings are
preliminary,” she says. But the early results are promising.
The psychological benefits are also impressive. For decades, some therapists
have prescribed dancing as an effective therapy for those who suffer from
social anxiety or fear of public speaking. The idea: if you can loosen up
enough to boogie in front of strangers, you’re a lot less likely to feel selfconscious when hanging out or speaking in front of an audience. Research
dating back to the 1980s supports the idea that dancing can curb anxiety.
Dancing also seems to encourage social bonding and what psychologists call
“self-other merging.” Like chatting with a stranger and finding out you both
attended the same school or grew up in the same neighborhood, mov ing and
grooving in rhythm with others lights up brain pathways that blur the
barriers your mind erects between yourself and a stranger, and so helps you
feel a sense of connection and sameness, suggests a study from the
University of Oxford.
Finally, the touch aspect of dancing with a partner may offer some special
perks. Touch is the first sense that emerges during infancy, and the more
experts examine the benefits of massage, holding hands and other forms of
human-to-human physical contact, the more they find that touching
improves well-being and reduces stress and anxiety. Basically, dancing with
someone else is like exercise and a hug rolled together.
Put all this together, and it’s clear we could all use more samba, salsa or
boot scootin’ in our lives.
Why Dancing Leads to
Bonding
Both exertion and synchronicity play a role in the social
effects of dance
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By Jason G. Goldman on May 1, 2016
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Credit: ALA MY
There is perhaps nothing more universal than the drive to move our bodies in
sync with music. Studies show that dancing at parties and in groups
encourages social bonding, whether it is a traditional stomp, a tango or even
the hokeypokey. Many researchers have argued that people experience a
blurring of the self into their groups thanks to the synchronization that occurs
while dancing. Yet it is also possible that the exertion inherent to dancing
releases hormones—like any other form of physical exercise—and these
molecules are behind the bonding effect. A new study suggests both views may
be correct.
University of Oxford psychologist (and dancer) Bronwyn Tarr and her
colleagues asked teenagers from Brazilian high schools to dance to fast, 130beat-per-minute electronic music in groups of three. The students were
instructed to dance either in or out of sync with one another and with either
high or low levels of physical exertion.
Participants said they felt closer to their dance partners than to others in their
classes after dancing the same steps at the same time than they did when
doing different moves, no matter the level of exertion. Those who exerted
themselves more also felt closer to their group, regardless of whether they had
danced in sync.
Dance - health benefits
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Summary
Read the full fact sheet
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Dancing can be a way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes and sizes.
Dancing can improve your muscle tone, strength, endurance and fitness.
Dancing is a great way to meet new friends.
See your doctor for a check-up if you have a medical condition, are overweight, are over
40 years of age or are unfit.
There are many forms of dance, from ballroom to barn dancing and disco to Morris
dancing. Dance has always been a part of human culture, rituals and celebrations.
Today, most dancing is about recreation and self-expression, although it can also be
done as a competitive activity. Dancing is an enjoyable way to be more physically active
and stay fit.
Health benefits of dancing
Dancing can be a way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes and sizes. It has a wide
range of physical and mental benefits including:
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improved condition of your heart and lungs
increased muscular strength, endurance and motor fitness
increased aerobic fitness
improved muscle tone and strength
weight management
stronger bones and reduced risk of osteoporosis
better coordination, agility and flexibility
improved balance and spatial awareness
increased physical confidence
improved mental functioning
improved general and psychological wellbeing
greater self-confidence and self-esteem
better social skills.
Getting started with dancing
You can dance in a group, with a partner, or on your own. There are lots of different
places where you can enjoy dancing, for example, at dance schools, social venues,
community halls and in your own home. Dancing has become such a popular way to be
active and keep fit, that most fitness clubs now offer dance classes in their group
exercise programs.
Dancing can be done both competitively and socially. It can be a great recreational and
sporting choice, because anyone of any age can take part. It doesn’t matter whether it is
cold or raining, as dancing is usually done indoors.
The gear you need for dancing will depend on the style of dancing you choose. For
example, tap dancing will involve buying tap shoes, whereas ballet will need ballet
slippers and ballet clothing. To get started, simply choose a style you enjoy, or would
like to try, look in the Yellow Pages or online for dance schools in your local area and
join a class.
Types of dance
There are many styles of dance to choose from, each with its own attractions. Popular
styles of dancing include:
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Ballet – mostly performed to classical music, this dance style focuses on
strength, technique and flexibility.
Ballroom dancing – this involves a number of partner-dancing styles such as the
waltz, swing, foxtrot, rumba and tango.
Belly dancing – originating in the Middle East, this dance style is a fun way to
exercise.
Hip-hop – performed mostly to hip-hop music, this urban dance style can involve
breaking, popping, locking and freestyling.
Jazz – a high-energy dance style involving kicks, leaps and turns to the beat of
the music.
Pole dancing – has become increasingly popular as a form of exercise. It
involves sensual dancing with a vertical pole, and requires muscle endurance,
coordination, and upper- and lower-body strength.
Salsa – involving a mixture of Caribbean, Latin American and African influences,
salsa is usually a partner dance and emphasises rhythms and sensuality.
Square-dancing – a type of folk dancing where four couples dance in a square
pattern, moving around each other and changing partners.
Tap dancing – focuses on timing and beats. The name originates from the
tapping sounds made when the small metal plates on the dancer’s shoes touch
the ground
Choosing a dance style
When choosing a dance style, ask yourself questions such as:
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Do I want to dance to improve my fitness?
Am I trying to improve my flexibility and coordination?
Do I prefer fast dancing or slow dancing?
Do I want to dance with a partner, or on my own?
Do I want to join a group, or have private lessons?
Will I enjoy competitions, or do I want to dance just for fun?
General tips for dancing
If you are thinking of taking up dancing, suggestions include:
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See your doctor for a check-up if you have a medical condition, are overweight,
are over 40 years of age or are unfit.
Wear layers of clothing that you can take off as your body warms up.
Do warm-up stretches or activities before you begin a dance session.
Drink plenty of water before, during and after dancing.
Make sure you rest between dance sessions.
Don’t push yourself too far or too fast, especially if you are a beginner.
Wear professionally fitted shoes appropriate to your style of dance.
Check with your dance instructor that you are holding the correct form.
Sit and watch new dance moves first. Learning new moves increases your risk of
injury, especially if you are already tired.
Perform regular leg-strengthening exercises.
Move as fluidly and gracefully as you can.
Cool down after a dance session, including stretching.
Things to remember
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Dancing can be a way to stay fit for people of all ages, shapes and sizes.
Dancing can improve your muscle tone, strength, endurance and fitness.
Dancing is a great way to meet new friends.
See your doctor for a check-up if you have a medical condition, are overweight,
are over 40 years of age or are unfit.