Dancercise and Danceaerobics
At Moondance Studio in Long Beach, Amanda is now teaching danceaerobics (salsaerobics), which combines latin and swing styles with a low-impact workout.
Dancing can be a great mind-body workout. Dancing can help:
- reduce stress and tension
- tone your entire body
- increase energy
- increase muscle tone and coordination
- improve your posture and balance, which can prevent falls
- increase your stamina and flexibility
- lower the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression
- manage weight
- strengthen bones and muscles without hurting your joints (dance is a weight-bearing activity, which builds bones)
- build confidence
- provide opportunities to meet people
The Mind/Body Connection
Dancing that requires you to remember dance steps and sequences boosts brain power by improving memory skills. A study published in the June 19, 2003, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine found that ballroom dancing at least twice a week made people less likely to develop dementia. Ballroom dancing was the only physical activity in the study that appeared to be associated with a reduced risk of developing dementia. Research also has shown that some people with Alzheimer's disease are able to recall forgotten memories when they dance to music they used to know.
A preliminary study, performed at Washington University in St. Louis and reported in the December 2007 issue of the Journal of Neurological Physical Therapy, indicates that Tango lessons may help those who suffer from Parkinson's disease. Nineteen subjects were randomly assigned to either a Tango group or an exercise class for 20 weeks. Both groups demonstrated improvement overall. The Tango group showed improvement in balance while the exercise group did not. Research is also being done at the University of Calgary to investigate why music and dance can lift some patients out of an immobile or frozen state and allow them temporary escape from the crippling effects of the disease.