Why take up ballroom dancing?
There’s a reason why ballroom dancing is just as popular today as when it began
While some like it because of its nostalgic reminders of pure, uncomplicated, joyful times, most people like ballroom dancing for other reasons. It's one of the best ways to stay in shape. It has been proven as one of the strongest ways to keep your mind active and healthy in an age when millions worry about the effects of an aging mind. And it's a great way to get out and meet all kinds of interesting people.
When you trace ballroom dancing back to the famous steps of Vernon and Irene Castle in the early 20th century, or all the way back to the Waltz of 18th-century Europe, ballroom dancing has always been about structure, discipline and respect. You look your partner in the eye. You can get close and touch a complete stranger with no threat of how they'll respond. You enjoy the give and take of working together as partners to create something amazing, dynamic, in the moment.
Relief from the stress of our times
It's not surprising that ballroom dancing is more popular today than it has been for generations, especially among young people. We're living in uncertain times, with terrorism and disease and war constantly in the news. In the ballroom dances, whether it's Jive or Waltz or Paso Doble, a man is not just a man but a gentleman, and a woman is a lady. The feel and the style of ballroom dancing bring us back to a place of comfort. There's a structure to it, a graceful social interaction. Our lives are full of stress. But ballroom dancing is a proven way to relieve that stress and put the pressures of the work day behind you.
Great workout program
Ballroom dancing has been proven as one of the best ways to keep your body fit and trim. Rather than working out in a smelly gym filled with testosterone and little to look at besides metal machines, the dance floor provides a terrific place to enjoy a good aerobic workout filled with beauty.
Competitive ballroom dancing has been proven to require the highest levels of athletic performance. A 1986 study conducted by the University of Freiburg in Germany demonstrated that the muscle exertion and breathing rates of competitive ballroom dancers performing one competition dance of approximately two minutes were equal to the muscle exertion and breathing rates of cyclists, swimmers and Olympic 800-metre runners exerting themselves over the same period of time. It was this study which prompted the International DanceSport Federation to pursue the goal of making DanceSport an Olympic event. When you consider that a competitor repeats this performance five times in each round and that a finalist in a World Ten Dance championship will have repeated this 30 times over the course of a day's events, you begin to understand the fitness levels that ballroom dancing can represent. The German study's methodology was repeated in a recent Australian study, the results of which were published in the authoritative British Journal of Sports Medicine.
You don't have to be a champion level dancer to get the results of a healthier body. All levels of ballroom dancing burn a surprising number of calories, keeping you in shape while you're enjoying yourself in the company of other healthy people.
Good for the memory
A Danish study from 2007 found that ballroom dancing lowered the risk of memory-related diseases like Alzheimer's and dementia by a stunning 73%. The constant use of short-term memory during dancing helps keep the neurons active, as well as engaging the parts of the brain involved in memory.
Great for Childhood development
Young children gain an incredible amount by getting involved in ballroom dancing. This sport demands that the partners respect each other -- their intelligence, individual skills and talent to learn. Boys and girls learn to respect members of the opposite sex and appreciate their skills and abilities as they form goal-oriented partnerships. As dance partners, they must work together to achieve a beautiful result. Kids involved in ballroom dance have much higher levels of achievement and personal development. When they get involved in competition, the benefits become even more prominent, as they learn to set goals, accept defeat gracefully, and build confidence in themselves and what they can accomplish.
A New York City program developed by a ballroom dance teacher has proven so successful it is expanding into cities across North America, with hundreds of schools engaged in ballroom dance lessons and competition. The program was featured in the motion picture "Mad Hot Ballroom."
Social environment
People love the social environment of ballroom dancing. While any form of dancing is good for you and builds great qualities, people generally don't decide to go out for an evening of social hip hop, or a ballet dancing party night. Yet around the world, millions of people enjoy ballroom dance parties every night of the week. You'll meet great people who are all learning and growing as they experience this great activity. Get started today!
Whether young or old, dance lessons will provide you with a new outlook on life. Knowing how to dance provides confidence and a source of social enjoyment in all kinds of settings. Broadway is open every day to provide you with all the opportunities possible to learn and practice.
