Open your mind and body to the music, and reap all the benefits that dance fitness has to offer

Zumba or aerobics dance classes are fun. They’re high-energy and fast-paced, and make for excellent workouts too. While these may be the most common forms of dance fitness on the block, there are lots more and each with their own unique advantages. And that is exactly why you should consider making dancing part of your fitness routine.

WARM-UP 
Dance has always been seen as physical activity, and branded as a hobby or fun pastime as opposed to a serious sport or workout. It wasn’t until the 1960s that dance-based aerobic exercise became recognised as legitimate, when Dr Kenneth Cooper outlined the importance of this unique form of exercise through various studies. A few years later, fitness coach Jacki Sorensen took Dr Cooper’s work and put it in action, adding music and teaching group dance classes. However, it was during the 80s that dance fitness really took off. Who could forget the high-cut leotards, big hair and fast- paced moves that made up the various aerobic and dance classes? This paved the way for new variations of dance fitness, including Zumba, pole-dance fitness and Barre.

GET PHYSICAL 
Similar to running or cycling, dancing is a cardio fitness activity. This means that it has loads of great benefits for your overall health, but there are also a number of other benefits completely unique to dancing.  Apart from helping to burn calories, managing weight gain and improving your endurance, dance fitness helps with flexibility, balance, posture and strength. It’s a full-body workout, meaning no muscle is left untouched, and it does wonders for your cardiovascular health as well. According to a study published in Circulation: Heart Failure, dance fitness was found to improve the cardiovascular conditions of participants who did 20 minutes three times a week – better than those who do traditional cardio.

Besides all of this, dancing is much more gentle on the body than an exercise such as running, because it places less pressure on the joints. This makes it the ideal activity for people of all ages, and it’s an activity anyone can pick up and learn. During the learning process, you will notice that dancing challenges your brain too. ‘In dance, the basic elements of humanity combine in a natural way. It combines creative act, fine-tuned movement and collaboration, much like playing music,’ explains Hanna Poikonen, a researcher at the Cognitive Brain Research Unit at the University of Helsinki. This means your mind and body will have to work as one to be able to bust out the moves, improving your coordination and mental stamina.  

FUN FIRST 
Physical benefits aside, the first rule of any dance class is to have fun. Yes, you want to learn the technique and reap all the rewards that come with this amazing exercise, but a major part of dancing is simply enjoying yourself. Dance classes are slowly becoming more integrated, but it’s mainly women who find themselves drawn to this activity, and for reasons other than just the physical benefits. Dancing is known to improve your mood. Maybe it’s the upbeat tunes or the serotonin being released into your brain from physical exertion. Either way, it makes you feel good. Besides the instant confidence boost, dance classes offer a safe space where women from all walks of life can uplift and support each other. It’s something to carry with you into your daily life once you step out of class. 

Words by Taryn Wilson
Photography: Freepik