One of the best pieces of advice for living fully is the popular adage about dancing like no one is watching. Feeling free enough to express yourself in the truest way you feel is a liberating act that too many people miss out on. But if you happen to find your feet twitching, it’s probably time for you to dance. And if you want a bit more structure to your musical movements than the flailing you might default to otherwise (which is also completely acceptable, mind you!), then dance lessons might be in your future.
Finding your dance
With myriad types of dance to choose from, you are sure to find the one that suits your dancing feet. Hip-hop, swing, or classic ballroom dancing instruction for that perfect wedding dance, there are classes and private lessons available for the willing dancer. And often these classes are available to take on your own or with a partner or group. For example, if you are interested in ballroom dance lessons, as most ballroom dancing instruction requires a dance partner, coming to the class as a pair is beneficial, but you can still learn if you attend solo. Chances are, there will be someone else in the class in the same shoes as you, who is looking for a partner as well. Swing dance lessons could be a fun activity for a group of friends, and break dancing or other forms of more contemporary dance could easily be learned with friends or while you’re making new ones within the class.
Dancing is in our genes
The urge to get down to music is not new. You might say it’s hereditary, that we got it from our ancestors. There is evidence of human dance that is more than 9,000 years old! Cave paintings found in India hinted that early humans had the dancing bug too. Dancing was used both as a form of entertainment and as a means of religious expression in Ancient Egypt. And nearing the 18th century, Louis XIV established set rules for ballroom dance within the Académie Royale de Musique et de Danse. Today, we acknowledge that dancing provides aerobic activity and helps to improve cardiovascular health, and it is also recognized as an official sport of the Olympics. Classes that offer dance lessons like tap, hip-hop or ballroom dancing instruction, whether it’s salsa, the foxtrot, cha-cha or waltz, assist individuals in improving posture and balance, and reducing stress and tension in a fun and engaging social activity.
There isn’t a right or wrong way to dance, as long as you’re feeling it in your soul. But if you want to learn certain steps to enhance your personal happy dance, signing up for some lessons is a great first step.
