Shimmy away from chronic disease with the best online dance class subscription

Dance has been a part of cultures around the world throughout history as a form of self-expression, entertainment, socializing and blowing off steam. If you’ve ever worked up a sweat with friends on the dance floor (or alone in your kitchen), you know how fun and stress-relieving it can be. But the benefits don’t stop there. Over the last 70 years, dance has been used as a type of art therapy, with physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages.

More recently, science has shown dancing is an effective way to stay active and fit throughout your life and as you age, boosting strength, endurance and balance and positively affecting mood and mental well-being. Christina Powell, 87, a lifelong dancer, shares that dancing alleviates the stiffness and discomfort she experiences from rheumatoid arthritis, allowing her to move more freely and comfortably in her daily life. “Overall, I feel stronger, more agile, and more connected to my body than I have in years,” she says.

So, if you’re looking to expand your repertoire of ways to keep active or are searching for a motivating and exciting way to start moving more, dancing could be just the ticket.

The health benefits of dance

Boosts physical fitness and overall health

The core of dance is moving your body, so any dancing you do can boost overall physical activity. Staying active throughout life, but especially as you age, helps reduce the likelihood of developing a number of chronic health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, muscle loss, circulatory diseases, strokes and overall frailty.

Dance, in particular, has unique benefits for physical health, making it ideal for people looking to liven up their workout routines or try something less traditional than a run on the treadmill.

A scientific review published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine found that dance of any style significantly improves muscular strength and endurance, balance and general functional fitness in older adults. “Dancing is an incredibly valuable method of exercise. This is a highly aerobic activity that also requires core strength, flexibility and balance,” says Dr. Daniel Hermann, a cardiologist with Memorial Hermann Medical Group. These components of fitness are important for everyone, but maintaining and building these skills is extremely beneficial for older adults, he adds.

Helps relieve chronic pain

Dance can also help those with chronic pain. A scientific review looking at the effects of dance on symptoms of fibromyalgia and generalized chronic pain published in Pain Medicine found that dance helped with pain relief, coping and acceptance. This was particularly true when dance was incorporated into a routine of 60 to 120 minutes of dancing each week.

Helps manage chronic disease

Similarly, a study published in Brain Sciences examining the effects of dance on patients with mild-to-moderate Parkinson’s disease found that over three years, regular dance classes helped slow the progress of the disease, improving motor control, mood, balance and daily functioning.

Lakelyn Eichenberger, a gerontologist and caregiver advocate at Home Instead, explains that dance promotes a “mind-body connection that can help improve mobility, endurance, and one’s mood and quality of life.” She adds that people with chronic pain or Parkinson’s disease can see benefits ranging from improvement in their general disease condition to improved balance and gait, which can make a huge impact on the lives of those experiencing these difficult conditions.

Improves mental well-being and cognitive health

It seems obvious that busting a move can boost your mood, but it’s not just conjecture — science agrees. A meta-analysis published in Behavioral Sciences found that the movement and music associated with dancing help reduce depression symptoms among older adults. “Dancing is often a social event, and we know that interacting with other people is also good for our brains,” says Dr. Sharon Brangman, a geriatrician and trustee on the board of the McKnight Brain Research Foundation and director of the Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease at SUNY Upstate Medical University.

Jennefer Ho, senior clinical manager at Executive Mental Health in California doubles down on the importance of the social side of dancing, because it can lead to a sense of community and belonging. “Those who have a rich social life later in life usually experience the benefits of longevity as well as better quality of life,” adds Dr. Ho.

Another review found that dance has a positive impact on mood, promoting a more positive body image and self-confidence, ultimately boosting overall well-being, happiness and quality of life. Jena Necrason, the program and events coordinator at Wake Robin, a nonprofit Life Plan Community in Shelburne, Vt., says she sees it at her facility after their dance classes, “When residents come out of the studio after a dance class, they are walking with more ease and confidence, have big smiles on their faces and embody hope and joy.”

And the benefits for your brain don’t stop there. “Exercise, including dance, is linked to cognitive benefits, like increasing blood flow to the brain and helping boost our ability to maintain connections in the brain and make new ones,” says Brangman. This means that dance is an excellent way to keep your brain nourished and sharp. Brangman explains that activities like dance also help lower blood pressure and blood sugar, which are important for healthy aging and preventing cognitive decline.

One last benefit of dance that shouldn’t be overlooked: It can turbo-charge your confidence and motivation to keep active, according to research. Bruce Camp, a Life Time instructor who teaches ARORA dance classes to older adults, which are available on-demand in the Life Time app for free, says dance class participants stay motivated to keep attending because it is so rewarding.

Powell says dancing has deeply inspired her and has been a powerful confidence booster. “It has shown me that I can continue to learn, grow, and achieve new things, regardless of age,” she shares.