How Dance Effects Your Mental Health

By: Julia Porcu

Dance is an outlet for some people who like to express themselves, let loose, and exercise. 

What’s interesting about dance is that no person will ever choreograph in the same way, and sometimes not even to the same beat.

Being a dancer and dance teacher myself, I can say that I have learned various genres of dance along with different choreography styles within the same genre.

Dancing is more prevalent than one would think. People may incorporate dance into their lives professionally, competitively, in the form of a class, at parties, or for pure fun and enjoyment. 

Researchers from Web MD say that dancing offers plenty of benefits for your emotions, intelligence, and relationships. 

Dancing gives you the capability to boost self-esteem. Learning and mastering new moves can be very self-fulfilling, along with seeing yourself grow every day. 

Dancing is a good mood booster and an escape from reality. Many people dance to escape the harsh realities of day-to-day life. 

The art form allows you to get in touch with your emotions as well. A lot of people dance to something that holds meaning to them. For others it allows them to experiment with different emotions within a piece they create. 

Some of the time professional or competitive dancers have to tap into an emotion they have never felt or experienced before in order to perform a certain piece effectively. 

This is something that is also admirable about dance because as researchers from Greater Good Magazine say, it allows you to get in touch at a much deeper level with your body and feelings. 

Performing on stage for families, friends, and others can be a feeling like no other. Dancing can be a great help to you physically and mentally. 

Web MD says that dance is an effective type of exercise that raises your heart rate, works your muscles, and helps with symptoms of anxiety and depression by releasing certain chemicals in your brain. 

Dancing is something that a lot of people enjoy and use to relieve stress. It may not hurt to try it out the next time you find yourself feeling overwhelmed.