Looking for a fun and energetic way to get or stay fit? Consider salsa dancing. It's great exercise, and because you're dancing, it doesn't really feel like exercise, which in my opinion is a major plus. There's something immensely satisfying about learning a new skill, but salsa dancing has many other benefits as well.
Physical benefits of salsa dancing
There is a sound basis to the physiological benefits of dancing. According to exercise physiologist Catherine Cram, "once someone gets to the point where they're getting their heart rate up, they're actually getting a terrific workout." And of course there's the release of endorphins, chemicals in the brain that are responsible for positive moods and that also have analgesic properties. Further, "dance is a weight-bearing activity, which builds bones. It's also wonderful for your upper body and strength."
If you're not convinced that salsa is a muscle workout, try taking a "serious" class or two. More than likely you'll feel muscles you didn't even know you had. Latin dancing involves moving backwards as well as forwards (especially for women). It involves not only your feet, but your knees, hips, torso (core), and your arms and shoulders too. Regular dancing can not only help you lose those extra unwanted pounds, but can also help you tone up, build a stronger core, and sculpt the body.
Emotional benefits of salsa dancing
In addition to challenging your muscles, salsa dancing will challenge your mind as well. A study of 469 elderly patients conducted by Joe Verghese and published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that while none of the participants (all aged 75 or older) had dementia at the start of the study, 124 had dementia five years later. Frequent dancers had a reduced risk of dementia compared to those who did not dance, or who danced rarely. Of 11 physical activities considered, only dancing was tied to a lower dementia risk.
Dance is also being used as a form of non-verbal psychotherapy to treat people with serious psychosocial and behavioral problems. Many in- and out-patient mental health facilities are now using various forms of dance therapy as part of the arsenal of traditional and complementary medical tools used to help people heal.
The list of emotional benefits derived from salsa dancing includes the following:
Mood changes. As with other types of physical exertion, salsa dancing causes biological changes due to the release of endorphins. For many, hearing the rhythms of the magical music has an uncanny ability to lift the spirits, and feeling the beat magnifies this effect.
Improved self-confidence. Salsa dancing is not the easiest skill to master. Not everyone can dance well, not everyone wants to. That said, making a commitment to learn how to dance salsa, and then following through, can be a tremendous boost to the ego. Learning to move your body in new ways, marrying specific steps with fast-paced and sometimes complicated rhythms is something to be proud of.
Learning to let go. Salsa dancing teaches how to let go and go with the flow. For many modern-day women, one of the hardest things to learn about salsa dancing is that our role in the dance is to follow our partner's lead. For those of us with "control issues", this is not an easy task. Now, of course, there's an underlying assumption in there somewhere that your partner can actually dance well enough to lead, but that's another issue. Salsa etiquette makes it clear that a woman is not to lead her partner or anticipate his next move. This requires the woman to let go, to fall into the dance, so to speak. This is much harder for some than others, yet this is a valuable life lesson that is equally important off the dance floor.
Social skills. Salsa classes can be a safe environment to spread your social wings. Generally, the people you meet through salsa are equally serious about the dance, and whether dancing in class or at a club, people are there to dance. It's a non-threatening way to meet other people who share a common interest. Salsa dancing often provides physical and social contact with others without intentions being misinterpreted. The dance floor is a place where grownups usually play nicely with each other.
Tips for beginning salsa dancers
Are you ready to start dancing? If so, here are a few simple tips to get you moving toward the dance floor:
Find a good teacher. Look for a salsa instructor who will focus on your possibilities, not your limitations. You want a teacher who will challenge you to be the best you can be. Even though it may sound obvious, make sure that your salsa instructor is a good dancer himself. Just like with anything else, not everyone who calls himself a teacher is qualified to teach.
Invest in the right shoes. Have you ever been to a sporting goods store and been amazed at how many different types of athletic shoes there are (different shoes for walking, jogging, tennis, cross-training, etc. etc.)? You wouldn't expect to play tennis wearing football cleats, would you? Likewise, don't expect to dance salsa in flip-flops.
Master the basics. The fancy turns and spins are great, and they're fun too. But just like anything else, doing the fancy stuff correctly requires a mastery of the fundamentals. This means more than knowing the technical aspects of the basic 8-count. It means "hearing" the 8-count in the music, then "feeling" the 8-count in the music. Next of course is getting your feet, and then the rest of your body, moving with that 8-count. Believe it or not, it's possible to dance on the beat but to butcher the 8-count at the same time. Unfortunately, there is absolutely no way around this other than practice.
Dance as much and as often as you can. No matter how much time you spend in class, there is no substitute for practice - first on your own, and then out in public with partners. Don't have a dance partner? Then practice by yourself on a regular basis. The more comfortable you are with the basic steps and the timing, the more comfortable you'll feel stepping out and dancing with a partner.
Finally, don't be too hard on yourself. Remember this is supposed to be fun. Dancing With the Stars is a great show, but trust me, unless you're willing and able to spend 8-10 hours a day for months with a personal trainer and a dance coach, you're not going to look or dance like they do during or after a beginner's class. Give yourself some time. Set realistic goals. Most of all, have fun!
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