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Anyone who is great at ballroom dancing is considered the life of the party. With ballroom dancing, you can let loose and have fun! Ballroom dancing boosts your confidence in every social situation, and it provides you with an opportunity to gain more friends who you share interests with. It is a great way to enhance your social skills. However, it does more than just improve your social skills. Ballroom dancing is beneficial to your health as well. If you take ballroom dance lessons, your mind and body will thank you for it. If you haven’t given it a serious thought, now is the right time to know what ballroom dancing can do for your health. So start moving your body and reap its benefits! Whether you are interested in the fun, health benefits, or just the ballroom dancing dress this can be a lifelong pastime.

Burns Calories

In just an hour of moderate ballroom dancing, you can burn 250 to 300 calories. Ballroom dancing fares better in helping you lose weight than other physically challenging activities such as playing tennis, swimming, walking, or bicycling.

Ballroom dancing is considered a great form of exercise because as a dancer, you take an active role in reducing or maintaining your weight. The turns, glides, moves, kicks, bends, bounces, and sways contribute in improving your oxygen consumption and heart rate, and these two factors are essential in calorie burning.

Develops Body and Mind Coordination

As you glide across the dance floor and move according to certain rhythms, you learn to coordinate your body and mind as well as that of your dancing partner.You won’t gain that from exercising in front of a mirror or working out on a treadmill.

Enhances Muscle Tone

When you dance, different muscle groups are involved. For example, dances such as foxtrot involves long, striding steps backwards, and this type of movements is much different from the exercises usually done at a gym. Ballroom dancing, which is a low-impact activity, can tone and make the thigh, calf, and buttock muscles stronger. In addition, it can improve balance, flexibility, posture, and endurance.

Improves the Condition of the Heart and Circulatory System

Ballroom dancing is good for not only your heart, but also for your entire circulatory system. According to experts, ballroom dancing can boost blood circulation, lower the risk of heat ailments, control blood pressure, and boost levels of good cholesterol in the body. Studies also show that beginners in ballroom dancing can improve their heart rates with only 5 minutes of warm up and 20 minutes of swing, cha-cha, or polka.

Improves Mental Health

Various studies found that the mental activities associated with ballroom dancing can boost blood flow to the brain, thus reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. When you dance, you try to remember complex steps, focus on the rhythm of music, and dance with a partner. These activities strengthen and exercise your brain.

Reduces Stress

Stress is one of the leading causes of health problems. Many people take ballroom dancing classes to get some distraction after suffering from traumatic experience such as death of a loved one or a recent divorce.

The social interaction you get from ballroom dancing can help you cope with stress and depression. With improved health and social skills, you boost your mood and self-esteem. Ballroom dancing, accompanied by soothing music, can calm you and ease your tension.

Are you convinced of the benefits that ballroom dancing offer to your mind and body? So, what are you waiting for? Take ballroom dancing classes, let loose, and have fun!

Filed under: Recreation and Sports on December 31st, 2009