Benefits of Dance

Dance offers so many benefits

Three good things at once

Ballroom dancing gives you the chance to combine several invigorating activities in one evening — physical exercise, pleasant social interaction with other people, and mental stimulation.

What dancing gives you

Good for the body, good for the mind

An excellent cardio benefit
Physical and mental health benefits
A more enjoyable social life
Less stress and less depression
Relaxation
Not least of all — it is fun

With all of that stacked on our side of the ledger, we challenge you to find a good reason not to hit the dance floor.

The workout

Ballroom dance is a great workout

Reduce fat, lose weight, increase metabolism

Ballroom dancing is a low-impact aerobic workout: it boosts your metabolism and burns fat. In just thirty enjoyable minutes of dancing you can burn anywhere between 200 and 400 calories — about the same amount you would burn running or cycling. Burning off an extra 300 calories a day can help you lose between ½ and 1 pound a week, and that adds up quickly.

In fact, a study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology found that dance as a form of exercise works just as well for weight loss as running and cycling. Dance training also serves as an effective form of “maintenance” exercise that helps you stay toned and fit once you have reached your goal weight. And because partner dancing is so much fun, you get every one of those benefits without ever feeling as though you are working out.

A dancer in a gold gown and her partner in closed hold, with guests watching from the side of the floor

Increase flexibility

As any reputable dance class would, our ballroom dance classes begin with warm-ups and stretching exercises, so that you can execute your dance steps with ease. Those exercises also help protect you against injury and soreness, and their benefits — to say nothing of the act of dancing itself — extend well beyond your ballroom dance lessons.

Over time, and especially if you are a beginner, you will find that your range of motion improves and that you have greater flexibility overall. As well as making it easier to move, you will reduce the joint pain and muscle soreness you may have felt after exercising in the past, and your core strength and balance will improve. Your VM ballroom dance instructor will even recommend a warm-up routine that suits your individual needs.

A smiling student dancing in closed hold with her partner at VM Ballroom Dance Studios

Increase muscle strength and endurance

As well as losing fat and gaining flexibility, partner dancing serves as a form of resistance exercise, because it uses the dancer's own body weight to “stress” the muscles. The lifts, the twists and turns and the quick steps involved in a dance style help you build more muscle strength in your legs, arms and core as you progress through your dance lessons.

The more ballroom dancing you do, the better your endurance becomes. You will find that your body can work harder and for longer without tiring, in dance and in other physical activity. Ballroom dancing as exercise is especially effective at building up your stamina — concentrating on your dance steps keeps your mind off the fatigue, which lets you push yourself and condition your body faster. The end result? You will look and feel toned, strong and attractive.

A dancer in a fringed silver dress held horizontally in a deep lunge by her partner under stage lights

All ages, all levels

Great for all ages

Partner dancing is an enjoyable activity for everyone, from children to senior citizens — which is another reason it is such an effective form of exercise.

At VM Ballroom Dance Studios we work with students of all age groups, physical abilities and skill levels, and we will create a custom dance program that is comfortable yet challenging and will help you achieve your dance and your exercise goals.

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