Dance Has Improved My Strength and Stamina—Here Are 4 More Benefits That’ll Persuade You To Bust a Move

If you already know me, you’ll know three things: I’m overly ambitious, I’m incredibly stubborn, and the mixture of the primary two gets me in trouble greater than I care to confess.

So after I got the prospect to run the 2023 Boston Marathon with only 10 weeks to coach, I jumped at it—despite the indisputable fact that I’d only been clocking 10- to 15-mile weeks for concerning the last two years.

Marathon day got here, and I managed to complete despite the nagging pain of a returning knee injury from highschool—just as stubborn as I—that popped up right after the halfway mark. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. But after a pair months went by and I still wasn’t capable of run consistently, I started considering other technique of exercising.

Another fact about me is that I wasn’t actually an athlete in highschool—I used to be a theater kid. Which meant my activities included rehearsals, voice lessons, and dance.

While I took a hiatus from the theater world because of the COVID-19 pandemic and ultimately accepting a full-time job, moving to freelance this past yr gave me the time and opportunity to start out pursuing my passion for performing once more. After getting thrown into summer stock theater last yr and having to learn a show’s price of choreography in about three days, I made a decision getting back in a dance class may be price my time.

Since January 2024, I’ve been taking jazz and ballet classes, twice every week, which finally ends up being about 4 hours of dance in total. To my surprise, I’ve found myself feeling healthier, looser, and higher about my body than I even have in years, regardless that I have never  stepped foot right into a gym because the summer.

So I started to wonder: Have I simply hit a second wind as I enter my twenty seventh yr? Or could there be some advantages of dancing I’d never considered?

The advantages of dancing that’ll persuade you to search out a category—or bust a move in your room

Obviously I’ve seen some advantages myself, but could dance be a net positive for those searching for a recent workout? We’ve seen an increase in dance-based workouts like Zumba or barre class, but what about ballet, salsa, tap, modern, or jazz?

I reached out to Danielle Schulz, dance teacher and dancer for the Metropolitan Opera and founding father of The Triangle Sessions, to get some insight on why dancing could be the workout you’ve been waiting for.

One of the most important advantages of any activity is improving fitness, but because it seems, dance is surprisingly well-rounded. Check out the numerous advantages of dancing below.

“The best type of dance is the one you enjoy—it’s the one which gets your endorphins going, that gets you excited week after week, the one which makes you’re feeling alive.” —Danielle Schulz, dance teacher and dancer

1. It boosts cardio fitness

Dance gets your blood flowing. Whether you are doing jumps and leaps, high kicks, or other fast movements, dance classes are great for raising your heart rate.

Most classes can even have periods focused more on slow and controlled movements in addition to quick and powerful ones. This gives it almost a HIIT-like effect because your heart rate will spike and lower throughout the class, allowing you to burn more calories without feeling such as you’re working too hard, in keeping with Schulz.

2. It builds strength

No matter which style of dance you might be doing, the activity requires a deceptive amount of strength and control. While you aren’t lifting weights, you might be lifting and moving your body. This is great for improving strength in your entire body, but particularly your legs, back, and core, Schulz says.

Some kinds of dance—specifically ballet—are depending on a many controlled movements. Moving in a slow and specific manner is harder than you’re thinking that and is great for improving strength in a low-impact way, in keeping with Schulz.

3. It improves balance

Whether you are turning, kicking, or practicing your arabesque, balance is vital to any dance style. Not only will dance classes include moves that require balance within the combos, but most can even have balance exercises within the warm-ups.

This just isn’t only great for improving your balance in school, nevertheless it also helps to enhance your overall balance in real life, making it an unlikely functional fitness activity, in keeping with Schulz.

4. It’s good to your mental health

Working out in any capability has been shown to haven’t only physical advantages, but mental advantages as well. These include a decrease anxiety, depression and negative mood, and a rise in self-worth and cognitive function, per a notable 2006 research article in Primary Care Companion to The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

But taking dance classes offer much more of a positive effect than heading to the gym for a fast workout.

Not only do you will have a way of accomplishment from moving your body and understanding, but you are also actively learning a skill. You can watch yourself grow over time, so that you’re motivated by greater than just understanding for the sake of understanding.

Dance classes also let you express yourself through artistry, in keeping with Schulz. While dance is a really physical activity that does require a level of fitness, particularly in advanced levels, it is also, at its core, art. And while there may be actually an accurate strategy to dance so far as technique goes, artistry and interpretation are unique to the person, so it could actually be a really cathartic and freeing strategy to express your emotions through movement, she says.

In my personal experience, I’ve also noticed that dance classes have improved my mind-body connection and memory. I’ve at all times struggled somewhat with coordination with reference to direction—especially when looking within the mirror—and diving back into class, especially as an adult, has made me higher aware of my surroundings and improved my proprioception (aka where your body is in space and time).

I’ve also seen dramatic improvement in my ability to retain choreography since starting classes, so it’s been a challenge for my brain in addition to body.

5. It provides a way of community

Unless you are taking private lessons, dance classes are a social activity. It’s a terrific strategy to meet recent people, construct community, and support others in an identical goal. Since many adult dance classes are aimed more at beginners, classes are often more relaxed and inclusive than chances are you’ll expect. Though teachers will push you to enhance your technique, they’re generally supportive, judgment-free zones.

6. It’s just plain fun

Most of all, dance classes are fun. In my very own experience, I didn’t realize how hard I used to be working because I used to be so focused on improving my skill—and albeit just having fun with myself. (This is coming from someone who thinks she’s hit a mile about two minutes right into a run.) And so long as you are having fun, there’s a great likelihood you’ll be coming back for more.

“I feel the most effective workout is the one you’ll actually do,” Schulz says. “The same goes for dance. The best type of dance is the one you enjoy—it’s the one which gets your endorphins going, that gets you excited week after week, the one which makes you’re feeling alive.”

It’s pretty hard to get tired of dance because there are such a lot of styles in addition to ways to advance your technique and skill, Schulz says. You may find that various styles resonate in a different way at certain points in your life, so it’s okay—and encouraged!—to change things up.

How to start dancing should you’ve never done it before

Starting anything recent might be scary, but there’s admittedly something particularly vulnerable about pursuing something as an adult especially should you don’t have previous experience. The excellent news, nonetheless, is that you just’re not alone. Adult dance classes have sprung up in all places in recent times with levels starting from absolute beginner to advanced.

“If you’re an entire novice, I like to recommend trying various dance forms—like ballet, hip hop, tap, ballroom, etc.—and finding a mode that resonates with you,” Schulz says. “It may take a little bit of trial and error to search out what’s best for you. Being a beginner might be humbling, but when you construct a basic understanding of a technique-based dance class, it only becomes easier and more enjoyable with time.”

Schulz also points out there is no age limit relating to starting to bounce.

“My 3-year-old son just began ballet to assist improve coordination, one’s connection to music, and develop spatial awareness in a gaggle setting,” she says. “On the opposite end of the spectrum, my 83-year-old father-in-law is a loyal amateur ballroom dancer when he’s not practicing medicine. He finds great joy within the art form, the community, and the spirit of competition. It keeps his brain sharp and spirit young.”

Not sure where to search out classes? Look up your local dance studios, community centers, and community colleges. Chances are, you may give you the option to search out a number of classes in your area. If you’re more on the shy side, there are also tons of dance classes you can take virtually, in addition to free classes and tutorials on YouTube.