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Dancing can exist in nearly any environment. Do you dance to your favorite song in your room while getting ready? Maybe you are taking a dance class at your local studio. No matter the setting, moving our bodies through dance can improve our mental health. Remember, there is no “one size fits all” approach to mental health. What works for one person may not work for another.

Mental Benefits of Dance

Physical Movement

We all know that exercise is good for mental health, but how? There are a few apparent benefits of the physical movements of dance, such as strengthening muscles and increasing flexibility and range of motion. Although these things are essential, don’t let them make you overlook the mental benefits of dance. 

When you dance, your body releases endorphins. If you have ever heard of a “runner’s high,” it is precisely that! People use this phrase to refer to the release of endorphins that trigger a euphoric feeling within your body, activated through physical activity. This euphoric feeling is known to lessen any anxiety you may be feeling and can be the push you need to improve your mood. 

Along with endorphins, your brain is also simultaneously releasing dopamine. With dopamine, dance acts as a reward system. When you exercise, your body alerts the reward system and releases dopamine, which has been proven to increase motivation and often improve your overall mood. The more you exercise, or in our case – dance, the more dopamine that will circulate throughout your body. 

An increased level of both of these neurotransmitters can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, and that is why dance can be so beneficial to people of all ages!

Dance & Relationships

Over the years, Rhythm and Shoes has seen firsthand the power dance has in bringing people together. When you work together, you must learn how to communicate with other individuals to produce the best results. Communicating verbally and nonverbally in routines can be tricky, and knowing how to communicate effectively can be the difference between an average performance and an exceptional one.

The communication skills you exert when working with your team are a stepping stone toward being an effective communicator in all aspects of your life. Outside of the dance studio, these skills make it easier to communicate feelings and emotions that otherwise may not be expressed. 

The creative nature of dance also extends to more acceptance of others. A study in Spain compared non-dancers with dancers, finding that dancers were more likely to be emotionally understanding of themselves and others. They also found that dance is an element that can promote the development of emotional intelligence (EI). Emotional intelligence is a term used to describe a person’s ability to understand and positively apply their emotions to decrease stress and increase communication skills and empathy.

Understanding and acceptance are two traits necessary for building strong, healthy relationships, which is why EI can benefit overall mental health. It allows you to recognize and understand your emotions while realizing how they can affect others. 

The bonds created through our programs and classes are at the core of our studio. With strong relationships having a significant (positive) effect on mental health, dance can be the perfect place to foster these relationships. 

Dance as Expression

The most amazing thing about dance is its universal qualities. The dances performed may differ greatly from another culture’s performances, but within every culture, it exists as the same thing– a means of expression. The nonverbal aspect of dance breaks down cultural barriers and opens a communication channel across all cultures and countries. People commonly refer to dance as a universal language, as it can be used to communicate stories and share ideas. 

Dancing is also used as a form of emotional expression. Finding the right words to articulate their feelings is difficult for some people, and this can lead to lonely thoughts and built-up feelings – both things I am sure we have all felt. Dance gives you another way to express yourself, using your body to communicate your feelings. 

At Rhythm and Shoes, our dancers can come into the studio carrying a lot of stress from the outside world. We understand how stressful life can be. We actively work to create an environment that considers this and will put mental health first.

Interested in signing up for one of our classes? Visit our class schedule to see what we have to offer.