Why dancing is good for you

It is not only a physical activity but also a great stressbuster, Bollywood choreographer says

Dance, as an activity, has the ability to heal and comfort your mind. It is a type of therapy that uses movement to help individuals achieve emotional, cognitive, physical, and social integration. Beneficial for both physical and mental health, dance therapy aligns the mind, body and spirit.In fact, music in itself is therapeutic. Dance is a physical interpretation of what the music says. It is a great way to release energy, shed inhibitions and vent out emotions. Good music and dancing is a great way to be in a happy state of mind.My motto was ‘Have Feet. Will Dance’, but over time, I decided to take it one step further to ‘Have Spirit. Will Triumph’.Initially, very few people with mixed needs would come to dance classes but they eventually notice a visible change.Dance has the power to heal. Whether it is in their motor movement, in their behaviour or their ability to interact socially, dance brings about a positive change.I started my Victory Arts Foundation to encourage parents to send children with special needs to dance. It is through the foundation that I realised the true benefit of dance.We’ve started a programme called ‘Dance for Good’ where students and instructors go to various NGOs and perform. This is the power of performance — to embrace, accept and encourage everyone.The foundation also provides a platform to address social causes and concerns. It makes dance available for all age, gender, caste, class and ability, without prejudice. It endeavours to use the power of dance as a therapeutic medium to bring joy to the underprivileged, physically challenged, mentally challenged, visually impaired, deaf and mute and makes dance a viable and respected career option.Working professionals in corporate fields lead a sedentary lifestyle. With dance, they find a stressbuster where they can disconnect and just do something they love. It not only transports your mind to a positive space but also adds physical activity to your lifestyle.It also helps connect with like-minded people, find friends and even network. A lot of corporates invite my faculty to teach in their office premises during or post-working-hours to conduct team-building activities.In a time where everyone is constantly on their mobile devices, dance is a great hobby where they can learn, enjoy and work out at the same time. Dance-based activities help build focus, concentration, discipline and team spirit.Many schools have incorporated my dance education programme into their regular curriculum. They have noticed that through dance, students have improved in their studies.Parents often tell us that their children show an improvement in their academics because of dance classes. The primary reason is primarily that their focus increases as they have something to look forward to.It’s also beneficial for introverted students as they get a platform to express themselves and their personalities will develop over time. Not only do they learn to dance but also experience something that highlights their spirit.It is the best free weight exercise where you constantly engage your core which is the powerhouse of your body. Dance helps improve overall fitness, endurance, muscle toning and strengthening.Dance is almost like a sport; some countries considered it a sport. It involves cardiovascular/ aerobic fitness, core and strength training and stretches for flexibility. The concepts of contraction and extension, grounding, elongation, fall and recovery, control of muscles, all come with awareness and are enhanced through a fit body achieved by dancing.(The author is a Bollywood choreographer)