Have you ever wanted to tango like a native or revive your ’70s’ moves? You’ll find dance classes right around the country and there’s sure to be one close to you. Dancing is great exercise and it’s good for your balance and coordination.
Maybe you’ve never had the time to take a dance class or your partner doesn’t like dancing. Now that you have more free time while living in your retirement village or land lease community, why not explore the various dance classes on offer?
You could explore different styles of dance, meet new people and have lots of fun while also getting a good workout.
Explore dance classes in your region
In every state, there are numerous dance classes designed just for seniors. This means you won’t have far to go to unleash your inner jive. Have a look at this website which lists all the different dance classes for seniors, and you can even search by state.
If there’s a U3A near you, you might find that they will have various types of dance classes that might pique your interest. You’ll also find that many community colleges will offer dance classes for seniors in your area.
The health benefits of dancing
While dancing can be a lot of fun, there are also numerous health benefits, especially for seniors. When you dance, you naturally feel happy because your body is releasing endorphins.
Dancing also helps to improve your balance and coordination, especially when you’re learning new steps. This is because you’ll be using muscles that you may not use on a day-to-day basis.
Plus, you get a good cardio workout which is good for heart and lung health and will improve your stamina. All of this helps to reduce stress and will give you a more positive outlook on life.
Another benefit of dancing is that it will help to strengthen your bones and help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. This is because regular exercise in the form of dancing can help to increase bone mass and make your bones more robust.
With all these health benefits, why wouldn’t you want to start dancing? Especially when it’s so much fun as well.
Different styles of dancing
If you’ve never taken a dance class before and are not sure which one you would enjoy the most, here’s a quick rundown of the different styles.
- Jazz. This is a vibrant and high-energy style of dance that will certainly give you a good workout. But don’t worry. There are many places that offer beginner classes for seniors.
- Salsa. You might be surprised to know that salsa is actually quite easy to learn. Salsa dances such as the tango, flamenco and mambo are usually practised with a partner. But, most dance classes will be able to partner you up.
- Ballroom dancing. If you’ve ever wanted to master the foxtrot, you should try a ballroom dancing class. Once again, this is a form of partner dancing but just imagine all the people you’ll meet while you’re having fun.
- Line dancing. This popular style of country dancing is heaps of fun and you don’t need a partner. Do you remember doing the Nutbush or the Macarena when you were younger? Well, line dancing is very similar and is a great activity to do with friends.
Even if you’ve never danced before in your life, there’s a style of dancing that you will enjoy. If you’re not sure which one is right for you, why not try them all? You’ll soon find one that you enjoy more than the others.
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