International Dance Day 2021: Reasons Why Dancing Is Good For Your Health!

International Dance Day is celebrated on 29 April every year. In 1982, International Dance Day was first celebrated marking the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), the creator of modern ballet.

The International Dance Day 2021 theme is: 'Purpose of dance'. Dancers, researchers and therapists across the world are increasingly encouraging people to engage in hobbies and any form of physical activity, to counter the mental fatigue during the pandemic.

The positive impact dance can have on one's mental health, especially during a time like was evident when a viral video featuring two medical students started doing the rounds across social networking sites. The MBBS students from Kerala's Thrissur Medical College danced to Boney M classic's Rasputin and has earned praise and love online.

Dance is not only a way of expressing yourself with grace but also it's a great way to keep your body and mind healthy. The health benefits of dance are immense and there are different forms of dance that you can choose from.

What Are The Types Of Dance?

There are many styles of dance to choose from which include the following [1]:

• Jazz - This type of dance involves leaps and turns to the beat of the music. This form of dance increases flexibility, coordination, endurance and strength.
• Ballet - This dance style focuses on strength, technique and flexibility.
• Salsa - This dance style is a form of exercise that provides heart-healthy benefits, aids in weight loss, relieves stress, etc.
• Pole dancing - This is a type of sensual dancing with a vertical pole and requires coordination, muscle endurance and upper and lower body strength.
• Ballroom dancing - This dance involves a few partner dancing styles like waltz, tango and rumba. Ballroom dance lowers blood pressure and delays dementia.
• Bharatanatyam - An Indian classical dance style that involves music, rhythm and expressional dance. This dance benefits the heart, help control weight and improves stamina, flexibility and balance.
• Kathak - Another Indian classical dance that involves gestures, techniques and dance drama. It is a good way of relieving stress.
• Belly dance - This is another popular dance form that emphasises the complex movements of the torso.
• Tap dance - This dance style focuses on timing and beats. Tap dance strengthens the legs and feet in addition to increasing flexibility in the ankles, hips and knees.
• Hip-hop - An urban dance style that involves popping, locking, breaking and free-styling. Hip-hop dance form strengthens the muscles in the legs and arms.
• Cancan dance - A highly energetic dance style that is physically demanding.
• Square dancing - A type of folk dance that allows only four couples to dance in square patterns. This dance form keeps the heart and bones healthy.

Reasons Why Dancing Is Good For Your Health

1. Boosts Memory

According to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, dancing may enhance your memory and prevent you from getting dementia as you grow older [2]. Science says that aerobic exercises can alter volume loss in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls your memory. During late adulthood, the hippocampus naturally shrinks which most often causes impaired memory.

2. Improves Balance And Coordination

Dance is just a series of balance tests. Dance gives you a strong and proper posture so that the bones and muscles can hold you upright against gravity with the least amount of energy [3]. On the other hand, coordination is important in dance as it helps you to move two or other body parts under control, smoothly and efficiently.

3. Reduces Stress

In a study published in the Journal of Applied Gerontology, researchers found that partner dance and accompanying music can aid in relieving stress. Endorphins are released when the body exerts itself while dancing. Endorphins and adrenaline work together to create a 'dancer's high' which means it gives you a feeling of satisfaction. The next time, when you are stressed out, turn on the music and just dance [4][5].

4. Improves Heart Health

For people who are at risk of cardiovascular diseases, dancing often can come to the rescue. An Italian study revealed that people who suffered from heart attacks, on taking up the waltz dance form showed an improvement in their heart health, breathing and quality of life. Dance is known to strengthen the heart, lungs and circulatory system [6].

5. Improves Flexibility

One of the benefits of dance is it improves flexibility. Increasing your flexibility with dance will help ease post-exercise soreness and joint pain. It also further aids in reducing stiffness [7].

6. Manages Depression

One of the benefits of dance on mental health is that it helps manage symptoms of of depression. A study showed that dancing uplifts your spirits and helps in battling against depression. When you are dancing, a flow of mood-improving chemicals is released, helping to accelerate your mental state [8].

7. Aids Weight Loss

How does dance reduce weight? Dancing is a great way to shed pounds as it effectively helps in burning calories by working out all your muscle groups. Dancing is a whole-body workout. Aerobic dance training is helpful for losing weight and increases aerobic power just as jogging and cycling. A 30-minute dance class burns 130 to 250 calories [9].

8. Boosts Energy

Dancing is another way of increasing energy and getting rid of fatigue. Immediately after a vigorous dancing session, you will feel alive as the blood flows faster throughout your entire body. This makes you energetic [10].

Tips For Dancing

These are the following tips for you if you are thinking of taking up dance.

• Check with your doctor to learn if you have a medical condition or are overweight.
• Before starting to dance, do warm-up stretches.
• Don't push yourself too fast; gradually move forward.
• Rest between dance sessions and drink loads of water before, during and after dancing.
• Wear appropriate shoes which go with your dance style.
• Perform leg-strengthening exercises daily.