“When you dance, you can enjoy the luxury of being you.” – Paulo Coelho

Ain’t it true? When you dance, you enter a different zone where the only thing you can hear is the sound of your own heartbeat and your soul.

Dancing is simply not gyrating to music but providing your body its full deserved dose of nutrition that comes in the form of fitness – of the body physically as well as mentally.

There are many benefits that dance has on our body and mind:

1)  A great aerobic tool to get your heart fit: Since dancing involves use of breathing techniques and increasing heart rate, it is a fabulous way to get that aerobic workout going. Medical practitioners advise a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for 150-300 minutes/week or a high-intensity one clocking atleast 75-150 minutes/week

2)  Improves posture – Great dancers have an enviable posture because the moves have to be fluid and ones that require precision. It greatly helps in getting rid of all back problems

3)  Right Balance – For young children, people with injuries, and older generation, dance helps with balance issues with the help of specifically designed dance postures

4)  Body toning – Walking, jogging, or even going to the gym won’t match results like those gained by dancing. Since, this art form has a step for every part of the body specially enforced by aerobic workout, results of disciplined dance routines can work wonders on your body

5)  Improved flexibility – With time, the joints of a human body tend to get weaker. This is where dance serves as a savior and gets the lubrication of joints going with the help of effective dance routines

6)  Better cognitive power – Not just physically, this great form of exercise can greatly boost your cognitive ability thanks to the need to remember steps and their correct sequencing. So, if you think you have started forgetting a lot lately, enroll in a dance class and you’ll see a tremendous boost to your memory

7)  Socialize – When you attend a group dance class, you get to interact with like-minded people. In fact, dancing used to be a social tool in the olden times to encourage interaction among people

8)  A great mood-lifter – Feeling low? Studies show that dancing – all by yourself or socially can help lift your mood instantly. Dancing releases hormones almost instantly as soon as your body sways to music

9)  Low risk of dementia – Because the mind needs to register dance steps and that too in a sequence, it makes the mind more alert thus lowering the risk of dementia and any other related ailment. In fact, dance therapy is widely advised for patients with such ailments to gain better control over their mind

10)   No ‘one-shoe-fits-all’ – One workout that has myriad aspects to it, be it in the types of dance or in the various means that one can access it, dancing has something for everyone. The best part of it? That you don’t need any expensive equipment, all you need is to put on some music and let your body do the talking!