Dance, Just Dance

Dance has been part of my heritage since I was born. People from the Middle East dance - the young, the elderly, children of all ages, everyone dances at weddings, parties, holidays and picnics (yes, that’s a fact). There is no shyness, no insecurity, people dance, and laugh, and move in ways that indicate joy and no pretension. Suffice it to say, I love to dance and have danced both in a structured way (ballet, jazz) and for pure fun.

So, on International Dance Day, April 29, I had to put this post out there into the internet world to encourage you, readers, to put on your favourite song, move to it like nobody or everybody is watching, and just be in the moment of joyful movement without rules. Not only will your mood lift similarly to Baby being lifted by Johnny (Dirty Dancing reference, in case it is needed), you will also improve your overall health. According to two studies published in the British Medical Journal, older individuals who danced twice weekly using a combination of balance and rhythmic movements experienced fewer falls, greater mental wellness, and improved overall wellbeing. Although results of such studies are not always “statistically significant” which means that from a numerical perspective, they are not strong enough to make definitive conclusions, they do show that perhaps there is more to dance than just capturing quantities and numbers.

There is something about dance and movement that makes people feel less lonely, less isolated, more connected, and happier in general. Now, tell me that doesn’t speak volumes. For what it is worth, my kids and I will have a dance party tonight to celebrate this ancient and valuable tradition of movement and body awareness.