We do a lot of different things for a variety of reasons. Those reasons can be practical such as getting a job to pay rent. Others volunteer at pet shelters for purely altruistic motives, just to help the cause. Whatever we do, that activity needs to make us happy, otherwise, why do it? So if you ever pondered why you should start ballroom dancing here are some reasons our students told us were their motivations.
1. It's great exercise
Media tells us we need to exercise, doctors tell us we need to do some physical activity, and our friends tell us we need to get in shape… This list can go on and on. After listening to all this many people go ahead and sign up for a gym membership. Great. They go every day first week, then a few days second week, once third week and then stop. Why do they stop if it is such a healthy activity? Because it is kind of boring to work out.
On the other hand, ballroom dancing has many physical health benefits. Dancing can tone your body and improve your cardio as well as working out. It does take some muscles to do dance steps, especially with faster music. Important thing about dancing is that it tones the whole body. Unlike working out where you work on arms, then on legs, then on back etc, during dancing the whole body becomes engaged. You may have to keep your arms up, take steps and rotate at the same time. That is work out. Thus, if you are looking for a new and innovative way to exercise, ballroom dancing is right for you.
In addition, Ballroom dancing is weather-independent! In Houston, where it can be extremely rainy or very hot, dancing is a perfect indoor activity. Whenever you can’t jog outside on those rainy Houston days, you can still come and take Ballroom dance lessons or practice! If group dance classes do not fit your schedule we recommend private dance lessons. They are flexible to schedule and we will work just with you on things you need most.
2. Dancing relieves stress
Life is stressful, especially if you live in a big city like Houston. Many people fight Houston traffic in the morning on their way to work or to drop off kids at school. In addition, there is always some sort of crisis at work every day. By the end of the day it is quite common to feel tired. Some people try to de-stress using unhealthy activities such as drinking and overeating. We all know those things do not really help to relax. However, what else is there?
The correct answer to your stress problems is Ballroom Dancing! The combination of movement and music makes many people feel better. The scientific reason for why dance has the ability to act as a stress reliever stems from the idea that when the body feels good, the mind does too. Any type of physical activity releases endorphins (google that), which serve to alleviate stress. Endorphins are the body’s natural painkiller to reduce stress and improve the mind’s perception of the world. Thus, after a good dance lesson the endorphins cause the body to feel calm and optimistic. The endorphins also aid in improving the quality of sleep so that a few sleepless nights due to stress can be avoided after a dance lesson.
3. There are so many dances to learn
No worries that you may get bored with dancing. Ballroom dancing is not just one dance. Officially, it is made of “Ballroom” part with dances like Waltz, Tango, Vienesse Waltz, Foxtrot and Quickstep and “Latin” part that consists of ChaCha, Samba, Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive. There are also multiple social dances that we normally teach at the studio. Those are Two-Step, Salsa, Bachata and Swing to name a few. So, if you are really into dancing you have over a dozen of different dances that you can learn. It does take some time, but on the other hand, you will never get bored. Every dance is quite unique and has its own music and character. And you do not have to be an expert in every dance to enjoy yourself at a social. Learn a few steps here and there and you will be good to go social dancing. Thus, if you are looking for an activity that will keep you interested for a long time, Ballroom dancing is a perfect fit.