44 THE QUEENS COURIER • DANCE • AUGUST 23, 2018 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
dance
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 low-impact, high-aerobic forms of
exercise around. It burns more calories
than most other physical activities,
including running. 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
oft en 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. Th ey 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 oft en
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