Dance for the Sake of Dance
“Life is the dancer, and you are the dance”
-Eckhart Tolle
Have you ever wondered why you feel amazing after moving in class, or how dance and exercise can instantly brighten your day? At Fly Freak, we believe that dancing is its own form of medicine—and scientists around the world agree. Here are three ways dancing can help heal your mind, body and soul:
Mood Boost. When we're moving to the music, our brain releases endorphins, the feel-good chemicals that lift our mood and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. Dancing also lowers cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress. More endorphins, less cortisol? Yes, please!
Connection and Community. Recent studies have shown that some of the same brain regions that light up when we speak are also activated when we dance. This means that dancing allows us to communicate not only verbally, but through movement. Dance is its own language, connecting us all, even those who may not communicate verbally.
Memory & Cognitive Function. As life gets busier and we get older, remembering the little things becomes harder. In our Sling class, we often say that learning new moves is “disease prevention”—and there’s truth to it! Dancing stimulates different parts of the brain and improves the flow of neural communication. It’s been proven to help prevent cognitive decline and diseases like dementia.
Is there anything dance can’t do? At Fly Freak, we don’t think so!! Whether it’s aerial or land-based dance, we hope to see you soon to release some endorphins and move with us!
Sources:
‘You Think, So You Can Dance?’ Science Is on It.’ - NY Times
‘The Benefits of Dance on Mental Wellbeing’ - Mental Health Association, Delaware