Ballroom and Latin dance is fun,
and keeps you in great shape
BY TRESA ERICKSON
Are you looking for a way
to get fi t, but don’t want to
spend hours working out at
the gym or home? Why not
enroll in a ballroom/Latin
dance class? Grab a partner,
learn how to do the foxtrot
or the samba, and burn
some serious calories.
Ballroom/Latin dancing
is one of the best lowimpact,
high-aerobic forms
of exercise around.
It burns more calories
than most other physical
activities, including running.
COURIER L 26 IFE, SEPT. 18-24, 2020
In just one hour of
dance, an individual can
burn 200 to 500 calories depending
upon the intensity
of the performance.
As a result, many individuals
who take up ballroom/
Latin dancing often
lose weight.
Ballroom/Latin dancing
provides other health benefi
ts as well. It raises the
heart rate signifi cantly, increasing
stamina. It builds
bone and muscle mass, improving
strength, balance
and coordination and keeping
osteoporosis at bay. It
works the joints, increasing
fl exibility, relieving pain
and preventing arthritis.
It relieves stress and helps
control lipids and blood
sugar, reducing the risk of
heart disease, diabetes and
many other conditions.
In addition to working
out the body, ballroom/
Latin dancing also works
out the brain.
It involves a number of
steps, patterns and routines
that individuals must
not only learn but retain in
order to perform various
dances.
With each dance they
add to their repertoire, individuals
sharpen their
memorization skills, reducing
their risk of developing
dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease.
Ballroom/Latin dancing
is good for the morale
as well. As individuals become
more adept, they develop
more poise and confi -
dence in their abilities.
They become more comfortable
with themselves
and with others and experience
an improvement in
their self-esteem.
Ballroom/Latin dancing
gives the entire body a
workout from head to toe.
Individuals who take up
the activity often experience
many changes for the
better in both their physical
and their mental health.
If you are looking for a fun
way to get fi t, enrolling in a
ballroom/Latin dance class
might be the way to go!
— Courtesy Creative
Commons
Dance