Dance your way to feeling better

For some people, watching a TV show like ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ or ‘Dancing With The Stars’ is the closest they get to dance. What they don’t realise is dancing is an activity that doesn’t have to be out of reach.

You don’t have to be in great shape, you don’t have to be young, and you don’t even need to have a dance background to enjoy ballroom dance. It has a number of health benefits for everyone and it’s also great fun!

Ballroom dancing is a low impact aerobic activity that burns fat and can boost your metabolism. It can help lose those extra Covid pounds. In just thirty minutes of dance, you can burn between 200-400 calories – that’s roughly the same amount as running or cycling, and since ballroom dancing is such fun, you’re getting the benefits without feeling like you’re working out.

Dancing improves the health of your heart and lungs and strengthens muscles and increases endurance. It also increases bone strength, therefore decreasing your risk of osteoporosis. Dancing helps with balance, co-ordination, and flexibility. Ballroom dancing, whether taking lessons or going to a party, keeps you in contact with other people, creating a great social outlet. It enables you to meet new people and make new friends.

Cork Dance Club’s autumn classes covering the basic steps of all the ballroom and Latin American genres of dance are now enrolling and scheduled to commence from Monday 12 September in various locations in the city and county.