Here are the seven things you will learn that reframed my relationship with dance and made me realize that EVERYONE should incorporate it in their self-care routine.
There is no such thing as an inept dancer.
I used to think I was a horrible dancer because every time someone tried to teach me a new move, I stumbled over my feet, went off-beat, and became too humiliated to continue.
If this is you, using dancing as a pleasurable hobby isn’t out of the question; you need to improve your rhythm.
Learning a dance move without rhythm will be too hard and frustrating, so start simple and work your way up to a pleasurable dance experience.
Put on some music, clap your hands, snap your fingers, and tap your foot to the beat for a week.
Select songs with unique beats so you can know if you’re on the right track.
After a week of nothing but clapping and snapping, go to a two-step to the same tunes you used in week one.
After you’ve honed your rhythm skills, attempt actual dancing steps again, and you’ll learn things much faster than before!
Everybody is a dancing body,
In actuality, you can do almost everything you set your mind to, but dancing is a special sport because you don’t have to devote your entire life to it or be tremendously athletic to participate.
You can dance and have a great time regardless of your age, height, size, or range of mobility.
So, use dancing as an opportunity to express yourself.
Remember to watch yourself dance or become lost in the experience at the end of your session.
Dance is not required to be a “performative act.”
Dancing may come to mind as something you do at school events, parties, weddings, and so on.
But if you don’t want to dance in front of people, you can dance for yourself!
Try dancing to your favourite tunes once a week, and you’ll find yourself looking forward to that private time you’ve set aside to let go.
Dance doesn’t have to be about choreography.
Most people associate dance classes with a specific format: walk-in for a warm-up, learn a routine, perform it in front of the class, and then go home.
However, there is a wide range of classes available, and mastering choreography is not required.
If you only want to dance for the sake of feeling confident and having fun, you can focus solely on developing your fundamental skills before moving on to freestyle!
Not sure where to begin?
Investigate several dance forms to find what appeals to you. This will influence the types of fundamental skills you want to study to improve your freestyle abilities!
You may easily enjoy freestyling alone or with others, after you’ve mastered the mood of a style you prefer — no fancy chores required.
Dance may be used to express all of your feelings.
We tend to believe that “celebration” should always be associated with happiness, yet the healthiest, happiest people enjoy everything they feel.
They respect their rage. Their grief. Their anxieties.
The next time you have a negative emotion, try dancing through it and noticing how you feel at the end of the session.
Did your feelings change from bad to positive towards the end? Did the endorphins you released to make you happy? Was it cathartic, like writing in a journal or winning a fictitious fight in the shower?
You’ll be astonished at how nice it feels to express yourself through movement.
You’ll improve your balance, coordination, and stamina
Dance is a terrific way to offer your body some love because you’ll be increasing your endurance and improving your balance and coordination by challenging your body in new ways.
Taking care of your body today is equivalent to sending a love letter to yourself in the future.
Even if you’re not attempting to level up, you’ll feel better about your physique and your self.
Pay particular notice to the small health gains that occur as you begin dancing, as well as the pride that comes with them – they will provide you with a burst of delight!
Outside of dance, dancing will boost your confidence.
You will learn to be more vulnerable in front of others and yourself once you begin dancing.
When you push yourself to do things outside of your comfort zone and succeed, your brain records it and says, “OK, that wasn’t so awful.”
The confidence you gain via dance may permeate your public speaking abilities, your capacity to be yourself around new people, or your general willingness to do new things.
And a person who is confident and self-assured is happy!