Health Article -- Dance & Health


Ms. Himadri Patel
SYMCA, [07MCA36]

 

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Efforts to improve health and well being need to reach everyone in our society. Anyone can dance and enjoy dancing – young or old, disabled or non-disabled. The vibrant range of styles drawn from different cultures gives dance an impressive reach in our multicultural society. Dance also has a long history of successfully working with hard to reach groups and building a sense of social cohesion within communities.

Every one enjoys dancing all the time for the entertainment of them selves, but they could never think that it is also very useful to maintain our health. I will show you some good advantages of dancing and how dance help us to maintain our health.

Dance is a great form of exercise while allowing you to be as energetic as you like. Some estimate social levels of dancing to burn 100-400 calories/hr, while competitive dancers burn 600+ calories/hr. Two to three hours of continuous social dancing can give you an excellent low-impact aerobic workout. Dancing is also a fun substitute for boring exercise programs designed for recovering surgery & heart patients.

If you are to dance well, it requires good posture, which helps you breath better, walk better and look and feel younger!

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Dancing can help:

  • Strengthen bones and muscles without hurting your joints
  • Tone your entire body
  • Improve your posture and balance, which can prevent falls
  • Increase your stamina and flexibility
  • Reduce stress and tension
  • Build confidence
  • Increases lung capacity & respiratory function.
  • Increases blood circulation.
  • Strengthens our weight bearing bones.
  • Ward off illnesses like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, osteoporosis, and depression
  • Increases flexibility and functioning of joints.
  • Increases muscle tone.
  • Sharpens coordination, balance & reaction time. 
  • Improves mental health and depression.
  • Improves sleep & increases vigor.
  • Improves self-esteem and confidence.
  • Fun, social activity, men and women can enjoy together.

Best for girls:
Girls were found to benefit physiologically more than boys from the activity of dancing. Most of girls are not having much interest in sports. So, they didn’t get physical exercise that they must have for their health. One more thing is that some girls are not that much confidant. The activity of dancing improves their confidence and makes them physically and physiologically strong. They can also get greater sense of enjoyment with a high level placing of dancing.

Some survey results:

  • In a recent Physical Education School and School Club Links (PESSCL) survey, dance was shown to be second only to football as the most popular activity. Dance also showed the largest increase in the number of school club links created.
  • A survey of over 50,000 Year 9 pupils in over 700 schools in the North West of England showed that dance was the top activity for girls outside school and that demand for dance was greater than the opportunities available.

Dancing Your Way to Better Health:
Calorie Check
How many calories will you burn? That depends on your body and how vigorously you dance.
Core Experience
The legs and arms often do the flashy dance moves. But they're sunk without a strong body core.