To Dance Is To Capture The Rhythm Of Life
Dancing is a way of making poetry with the body. Dance is said to be one of those arts that only people who love each other very much practice.
This is very logical, since we know that to be good dancers, we must know our body well, and connect it with our deep emotions in order to express them through specific movements.
In dancing there is always happiness even though some people express dramatic feelings.
In dance, we bring into play an act of freedom, which embodies a break with the usual movements and which allows everyone to transform their body into an artistic medium.
We cannot all be professional dancers, but dance is of course within everyone’s reach and in fact, it is present in an infinite number of social situations.
This is why the discotheques exist and that we have regional or family celebrations.
Many people think that a party where you do not dance is not a complete party because dancing is synonymous with celebration and joy.
The physiological benefits of dance
The first great benefit of dancing is physical.
Dance is a demanding exercise that involves great physical effort to which is added a strong demand for coordination between the different parts of the body and the music that blares.
Connoisseurs say that one hour of dancing equals two and a half hours of aerobic exercise.
Like any exercise, dancing helps release endorphins, channel adrenaline and reduce stress.
A study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience , in 2005, studied a group of depressed adolescents: their condition improved significantly thanks to dancing.
It allowed them to reduce dopamine levels and increase serotonin levels, which ultimately improved their morale.
In other research conducted at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in New York City, dance was found to promote brain structures and prevent aging of this organ.
Apparently, the dance reverses the loss of volume in the hippocampus, a structure that is directly related to memory.
In the study’s findings, it is also noted that doing crossword puzzles or other hobbies reduces the risk of dementia by 47%, while dancing reduces it by 76%.
At McGill, a Canadian university, an amazing study was carried out in which people with Parkinson’s disease significantly improved their condition when they tango danced regularly.
Several of the patients reported that when they began to dance to the music, their body tremors disappeared. The rhythm of the music was transferred to their bodies.
Dance to enrich life
It can be good or bad, but as we grow older we have more and more responsibilities, and our body begins to adopt repetitive postures.
Much of our body seems to be turning into something foreign. We rarely think about it, except when there is discomfort or a little pain.
Rather, the body is seen as a source of aesthetic or medical concern, but hardly ever as a means of expressing art.
When we start to dance, we also begin to become aware of our body and the rigidities and disconnections are brought to light.
The questions a new dancer asks are: why can’t I “let go” of my waistline, hips or shoulders? Why am I not able to harmonize my feet with my hands, and the head with the trunk?
The body reflects our personality and our internal conflicts. There’s nothing like dancing to make it all happen.
This is precisely the first great contribution of dance: it helps us to connect with ourselves, and it allows us to express our inner world.
The ability to keep pace with the music with the body encourages self-recognition and reveals our asynchrony.
But that’s not all. Dancing is an eminently social activity and thus, it allows us to connect with ourselves, but also with others.
Dancing requires us, in most cases, to adapt to the body and movements of the other person.
Without realizing it, it increases empathy and sociability. Plus, it’s a great antidote for shyness, especially during adolescence. Dance is about capturing the rhythm of life in our heart.
