Dancing makes you smarter, healthier

By Lionel Wijesinghe

Wynton Learson Marsalis is a trumpeter, composer, teacher, music educator and Artistic Director at the Lincoln Center in New York City, United States. He has promoted the appreciation of classical music often to young audiences. Marsalis has been awarded nine Grammys, and a jazz recording of his was the first of its kind to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music.

The other day, I was watching a video consisting of his two-and-a-half hour presentation on the history of social dance and music. The following are two extracts from his speech:

“In primitive cultures throughout the world, dance brought communities together in a common purpose. Dances requested rain or a successful hunt or battle, opened paths to gods and other spirits, promoted fertility and gender identity. Dancing blessed our space. It heightened our sense of being alive by making us one with the very ground we danced on, the air we breathed, and the seen and the unseen.”

“Dance was, and is, a unique and essential human activity that connects us to the musical rhythms of life. Unlike rowing a boat or chopping wood, dancing makes you more of yourself as you become one with others. You almost never got tired because your spirit soared the more you danced - because this was play.”

Watching and listening to Marsalis, I was wondering, “Really, why do people dance?” Some people automatically start moving as soon as they hear a catchy melody, a drumbeat, a song. Others dance because it is a mode of connecting with their cultural heritage or country of origin. Still others dance as a form of exercise that is particularly social and allows them to enjoy other people’s company.

One thing is certain; dance is one of the most endurable human activities ever created, and, luckily for us, it’s not going away any time soon. Dancing is like breathing, sleeping, eating… it has become a necessity.

Scientific answer

If we search for a scientific answer as to why we dance - and even why some people are better dancers than others - some information is found in a study published in the Public Library of Science’s (PLOS) genetics journal in 2006.

The researchers examined the DNA of a group of dancers and non-dancers and found that the dancers shared two genes associated with a predisposition for being good social communicators. In addition, the dancers were found to have higher levels of serotonin, known to boost moods in humans and mice.

These researchers say that dancing is an excellent form of exercise because it not only burns calories and builds muscles, but it also contributes to an overall sense of happiness. Of course, all exercise releases endorphins, but dancing has an increased effect in this realm because it’s not only the physical activity, but also the music, that affects the mind.

Risk reduction

Endorphins are released when the body is forced to exert itself at a certain level. You may have heard of a ‘runner’s high’; because dancing is a similar activity, this same boost in mood can be achieved through dancing. In addition to the physical activity of dancing, when dancing is also a performance, adrenaline and endorphins work together to create a dramatic ‘dancer’s high’.

Perhaps you have heard about the New England Journal of Medicine report on the effects of recreational activities on mental acuity in aging. Here it is in a nutshell:

The 21-year study of senior citizens, 75 and older, was led by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, funded by the National Institute on Aging, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Their method for objectively measuring mental acuity in aging was to monitor rates of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.

The study wanted to see if any physical or cognitive recreational activities influenced mental acuity. They discovered that some activities had a significant beneficial effect. Other activities had none.

They studied cognitive activities such as reading books, writing for pleasure, doing crossword puzzles, playing cards and playing musical instruments. And they studied physical activities such as playing tennis or golf, swimming, cycling, dancing, walking for exercise and doing housework.

One of the surprises of the study was that almost none of the physical activities appeared to offer any protection against dementia. There can be cardiovascular benefits of course, but the focus of this study was the mind.

There was one important exception: The only physical activity to offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing.

Reading - 35 percent reduced risk of dementia; Cycling and swimming - zero percent; Doing crossword puzzles at least four days a week - 47 percent; Playing golf - zero percent; and Dancing frequently - 76 percent. That was the greatest risk reduction of any activity studied, cognitive or physical.

More points

If we search for an answer from a social point of view as to why dance is pleasurable, we come across a number of reasons.

* Flexibility

Flexibility is an important part of being healthy. Most forms of dance require dancers to perform moves that require bending and stretching, so dancers naturally become more flexible by simply dancing.

* Strength

Dancing builds strength by forcing the muscles to resist against a dancer’s own body weight. Many styles of dance require jumping and leaping high into the air. Jumping and leaping require tremendous strength of the major leg muscles.

* Endurance

Endurance is the ability of muscles to work hard for increasingly longer periods of time without fatigue. Regular dancing is great for improving endurance, especially vigorous dancing. Elevating the heart rate can increase stamina. Just as in any form of exercise, regular dancing will build endurance.

* Sense of well-being

Studies have shown that strong social ties and socialising with friends contribute to high self-esteem and a positive outlook. Dancing provides many opportunities to meet other people. Because physical activity reduces stress and tension, regular dancing gives an overall sense of well-being.

* Gentle on body

The wide variety of moves that dancers perform when dancing can actually be a lifesaver for their bodies, as they are avoiding the wear and tear of repetitive motions. Unlike more traditional cardio exercises, which is very structured and vigorous, dancing is more free flowing, allowing you to adjust the tempo when the body needs a break. Dancing is less traumatic on the body.

* Improves balance

Each year, one out of every three adults over the age of 65 will have a fall, according to a recent health report. A recent research review found that dancing, as well as carrying objects while walking, can help improve balance and ultimately reduce dangerous falls.

* No need for equipment

Interested in starting a dance-based fitness routine? You really don’t need a thing to get started.

The easiest solution is to put on your favourite music and move your body in your living room, which alone will burn lots of calories. For a more structured workout, buy an exercise dance DVD.

So get around with your family and go ahead, dance like there’s nobody watching. It makes no difference what type of dance you prefer - Western, Eastern, Latin American or just plain Sri Lankan. You and your family will be smarter, healthier and above all, happier.