Benefits of Dance

Not only does dancing make you feel great – there are several other benefits to participating in a dance class.

Dancing Your Way to Healthy
Dancing is a great way to get kids and adults alike off the couch and moving towards a healthier mind and body.  Studies show that dancing can help you lose weight, stay flexible, reduce stress, and diminish depression.

Weight Loss:    Aerobic dancing can help you lose weight.  According to a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, an aerobic exercise program was as helpful in weight loss as was jogging and cycling.

Flexibility:  Almost every move your body makes during a dance class is essentially increasing your flexibility and reducing stiffness.  A more flexible body also means decreased joint pain.
Stress Reduction:  The best remedy to a stressful time is to get moving.  Dance and the accompanying music can release tension and stress according to a study published in the Journal of Applied Gerontology.

Ease Depression:  Dancing really can lift your spirits and improve your mood!   Studies have concluded that patients who suffered from depression were able to reduce their symptoms by participating in an upbeat dance group.

Dancing Improves Memory
Along with the benefits of having better balance, dance helps your mind age gracefully!  The New England Journal Medicine published a study that showed that dancing may actually boost your memory and prevents you from developing dementia as you age.  Aerobic exercise has also been shown to reverse the volume loss in the hippocampus – the part of your brain that controls memory.  Normally, as people age, the hippocampus naturally shrinks leading to impaired memory and even dementia.

Helping Your Heart
For those at risk of developing cardiovascular disease due to family history or sedentary lifestyle, dance is a great option to improve health.  An Italian study found that patients with heart failure improved their health by dancing the waltz.  In the controlled group study, patients breathing capabilities and quality of life improved significantly over a second test group that exercised by walking, biking or using a treadmill.

Dance for More Energy & More Friends
Yet another study published in The Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition has found that adults who participated in a weekly dance class can increase the energy levels.  Additionally, dance classes provide an ideal opportunity to meet new people and to socialize.  Having positive relationships is as important to a person’s well-being as is having a healthy body.

About Wagner Dance and Music
Since 1989, Wagner Dance and Music, a performing arts school, has been teaching East Valley students. Our 3600 square foot Gilbert facility is conveniently located on the southeast corner of Gilbert and Guadalupe in the Big Lots plaza. We offer classes for ages 2 to adult in Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Tumbling, Cheer, Musical Theater and Voice as well as adult classes.  For more information about Student Appreciation Day or to sign up for a class, visit http://wagnerdancearts.com or call 480-892-7179.