At Bloom, we love to dance!
Need some exercise to boost your immunity and health right now?
We got you covered!
In light of our new reality, it’s more important now than ever to stay active.
Moving is so beneficial for our mental and physical health. At Bloom, we are committed to helping our dancers keep developing their skills from home!
Our team has been busy developing fun, dance videos for our students to enjoy! There will be an email update soon.
Keeping active is so important!
Here are 5 evidence-based benefits of dancing regularly….
1. Dance BOOSTS IMMUNITY! iT’S Heart Healthy and Improves Our Respiratory System
Regular aerobic activity increases cardio-respiratory fitness, meaning that regular activity helps to make our heart and our lungs work more efficiently!
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that students ages 6-17 years old engage in moderately intense aerobic activity for 60 minutes or more per day, 3 times a week.
As dance is typically a moderately intense aerobic activity, it is a perfect way to help young students avoid sickness and have healthy hearts and lungs!
2. Dancing May Slow the Aging Process
Do you ever think about how old you might be in 10, 20, or 50 years, and wonder if you will be able to remember things the same way?
A study from 2017 by Dr Kathrin Rehfeld reported that senior citizens who danced in 90 minute classes 1-2 times a week had an increase in the mass of their hippocampus! The hippocampus is an instrumental area of the brain that contains our memory and learning abilities, as well as our balance. This area typically decreases with age, which contributes to conditions like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Aging doesn’t start when we hit 65 years old; it starts now! Turn up your favorite song, grab your favorite person (preferably who likes to dance), and get grooving!
3. Dance is Beneficial to Our Mental Health
The combination of music and dance can do incredible things for our mental health! Engaging in dance has been shown to release the “feel good” neurochemicals, otherwise known as endorphins.
On top of this, when we listen to music, we get to experience the benefits of our reward center in the brain being activated. These two--endorphins and our reward center--are the power duo for having a boost in disposition!
Dance has also been shown to reduce depression and anxiety! In a study done with teenagers, dance was shown to improve their feelings of happiness, and to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Dance really can serve as a healthy release, both physically and emotionally!
4. Dance May Increase Your Overall Well-Being
A famous health psychologist named Martin Seligman introduced the idea of “flow” in his life’s work (the field of positive psychology). Flow is more commonly known as being “in the zone” or “locked in” to a practice, art, or skill. When we are in “flow”, time seems to slow down, and our minds are completely centered on the task in front of us.
Of course, many dancers experience “flow” on a regular basis, especially when they are working on or performing a dance number they know well and enjoy executing! Seligman proposed that experiencing “flow” regularly is an important step towards helping us reach our maximum potential of well-being!
5. Dance Reduce Chances for Injury and Helps to Build Strength Through Flexibility
As our bodies’ flexibility increases, so does our ability to bear physical impact and stress. Flexibility also aids in correcting muscle imbalances, which if left uncorrected can lead to injury.
Having loose muscles and lengthening them regularly (e.g. stretching) can also help to prevent muscle soreness and aches. Additionally, stretchy muscles create more room for improving strength and physicality. Our teachers know the importance of stretching and incorporate it into each and every class to give our students the most opportunity for growing and thriving through dance!
