In an essay for Chicago Tribune titled “Advice, Like Youth, Probably Just Wasted on the Young,” Mary Schmich, its author, advises that one must enjoy their body, that one must use it every way they can. According to her, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever own. And if you follow this advice, you will realize that you can do a lot of beautiful things with it – like dancing.
Dancing is more than just grooving to the beat and learning to stomp your feet or coming up with an elaborate body maneuver. It helps you maximize your body as an instrument for nonverbal communication. It is a means to express yourself. The good news is, dancing is for everyone. Sooner or later, you will find yourself chained to your walking cane or hoist for aged care. While you still have the strength, go dance. And you’ll reap these benefits:
It helps you lift your mood
Hobbies and passions are among the things that give living a purpose. They help you keep sane, and they allow you to disconnect from the daily vicissitudes of life. They make you happy. And if you are looking for a new hobby, you can always try dancing. It is a leisure activity that helps you relieve stress. Moving and getting into the groove encourage the release of happy hormones called endorphins. So whether you’re a beginner or an expert flamenco dancer, you can always count on the happiness that this activity will give you.
It keeps you in shape
Dancing is a very physical activity. It’ll make you do poses and moves that require the use of the whole body. And this is a form of exercise. Whether you’re doing ballet or hip-hop, dancing will help you increase your endurance, tone your muscle, and improve flexibility. While your first few dancing lessons can make your body sore, they’ll be the good kind of pain, and soon enough, you’ll be used to them. If you aim to shed weight, many recommend aerobics dance classes or the classes that you see on the home-shopping TV network.
You meet new friends
Dancing does not only give you personal benefits. It also helps you gain new social connections in the form of friends. Historically, dancing is a social activity. So expect that you will be meeting new people during dance lessons (unless otherwise, you have booked private lessons). In your dance lessons, you have that precious chance to get to know the people that shared the same passion as yours. Grab a coffee or invite them to a brunch every after class to sustain that friendship.
It helps you cultivate your confidence
Dance lessons have recitals and performances, which will be an opportunity for you to show off what you have learned so far. Through the classes that you have taken, you have gained that sense of self-confidence, which you can use in other situations. This is because every move perfected is a milestone, which in turn, ups your self-assurance.
Just move!
Dancing is more than a kind of art. It is a means to express yourself and become confident. And if you feel shy and bashful about it, take this piece of advice from Mary Schmich: “Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.”