I don’t think it’s a secret that we LOVE dance at DC (why else would we want to do this for a living!) One of the main reasons is how we’ve seen countless examples of personal transformation when a young person takes up dance.
There are so many personal benefits to gain from dance, aside from the health benefits. Here’s a few we’re naming off the top of our heads.
- It’s great for their health
The most obvious thing to start with is how dance gets your child into an active lifestyle. The repetitive movements involved in dance can build and tone muscle, correct poor posture, increase flexibility, and improve reflexes, balance and coordination – which keeps them less prone to injury in their daily lives while the connectors between body and mind get a workout. It’s also aerobic – the increased circulation is a calorie-buster. (You could burn 6 to 8 calories per minute doing Hip Hop!)
As for those who may be thinking of starting dance out later in life, just remember that dance keeps us young. Dance slows down the aging process immensely. It’s a great cardiovascular workout, helps control cholesterol, and increases lung capacity. Dance is great for diabetics because it helps with blood sugar control. It also helps in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis for men and women, and it helps keep joints lubricated, which helps prevent arthritis.
“But I can get health benefits from sports!” Yes you can. But dance does build athleticism – it’s a total body workout after all! The muscle exertion and breathing rates of dancers performing in a dance competition is equivalent to those of cyclists, swimmers, and an Olympic-level 800-meter runner. Impressive!
- It’s great for character building
To be a better dancer, every student learns about building resilience and discipline. The adages “practice makes perfect” and “if at first you don’t succeed, try again” might sound a little naf, but they are still part and parcel of goal setting and working hard. Dance teaches these attributes (and more!), but because the learning environment at DC is always nurturing, we find our students naturally respond and end up honing these life skills while having the best fun.
Dance also improves mental mastery. Students are called to memorise steps, routines, and sequences, which boosts their memorisation skills while honing their attention to detail. Memorisation produces a more efficient memory, and can build the foundations for higher thinking and problem solving.
- It’s great for encouraging self-expression
The key difference between dance and other forms of physical activity like sports is self-expression. Dance is equal parts artistry and athleticism – and expressiveness is what separates a good performance from a special one. Dance gives children the freedom to channel their emotions and energies in a safe environment, especially since dance explores all emotions, from elation to anger to sadness, to love. For children who are still learning about the depth and breadth of human emotion, Dance is a great means of giving them a voice to articulate and work through complicated emotions they might not yet understand.
Dance, like all exercise, also elevates our mood by raising our endorphin levels. And endorphins are what allow the body to heal from stress and depression while giving us a sense of wellbeing. Dance literally makes you feel happy.
- It’s great for socialisation and building self-esteem
Whether you have a shy child or a live wire, Dance helps improve social and communication skills. At DC, we encourage both team and individual expression and excellence, so our students learn both how to hold their own, and be a great team player. We’ve watched so many of our students reach out to one another and become close friends, and come out of their shells as their confidence in their body and skills grows over the time.
At DC, we talk about having that Presence. And we’ve watched (with quite maternal pride!) how so many of our shy students have ended up on stage performing to packed theatres with quiet confidence and HUGE smiles. It’s quite the transformation.
As a side thing, you should really try and catch our next End of Year Show. The energy is just electric!
We could seriously go on for quite a bit more, but we’ll stop for now so we can talk about our OPEN DAY!
If you’re curious about dance classes for yourself or your child, why not start off with free trial classes at our Open Day? You’ll also get to talk to teachers, check out our facilities, and celebrate our birthday! (And free bubbles for the grown-ups! And cake!) You can’t lose!
