We all know that dance provides excellent physical benefits, including improved core strength, flexibility, and conditioning of the cardiovascular system, but no less important is the effect of dance on social, mental and emotional health, as shown throughout history and through modern scientific research.
Many times, dance has proven essential to the survival of the human spirit. From the Argentine tango in the 18th century, to the Ghost Dance of the Native American Arapaho tribe; from the Swing Youth in Nazi Germany to modern-day club dancers in Europe and South America—dance has long been a form of non-violent protest under oppression as well as a creative expression of hope, storytelling, celebration and worship for humankind everywhere.
In addition to the cultural significance of dance, modern science has proven the value of dance, specifically ballroom dance, in improved brain function and mental acuity. Research has shown that ballroom dance has a positive effect in treating patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, and Parkinson’s disease, and cancer. For more information on our outreach programs, please visit our website.
For all students, ballroom dance will not only improve physical health and brain function, but it will also strengthen social connections and emotional health—improving self-esteem, lowering stress, overcoming fears, and expanding creativity. Students learn teamwork, transparency, and life skills.
Ballroom instructors not only provide physical therapy through teaching actual dance movement, but they also provide a great deal of emotional therapy. Partner dancing in the ballroom is a very vulnerable and individual activity, involving great trust, respect, and care on the instructor’s part. Instructors listen, encourage, support, and counsel. This care for the individual promotes health and well-being, and brings forward the student’s higher purpose, creating hope and peace in their lives.
If you are interested in improving your physical and emotional health through ballroom dance, please don’t hesitate to contact us!