The Basics of Dancing
Anyone can dance. You don’t have to be involved in dancing competitions or have trophies to do it. All you need is your body, your self, and awareness. To me, dancing can be more than just choreographed moves. It’s how you move your body to the rhythm and how you feel in the moment. Whether it is at a party, at karaoke, in your room, on the streets (so long as there are no cars), the wonders of dance can be paired with any musical genre (pop, rock, punk, classical music, etc.) Put on some groovy tunes and let the beat take you away!
The Benefits of Dancing
Connection to the Body
To me, dancing is a way to connect to my body and build a sense of trust within myself. By moving without caring about perfection or how I look, I am focused on the feeling of my body’s movement and this builds a stronger connection to myself; free flowing cultivates bodily awareness and destroys the idea of “perfect” dancing. There is only my body, awareness and the space surrounding me throughout dancing. I am existing in the present moment and dedicating my time towards cultivating connection. I can feel the blood pulsing through my veins and the push and pull of my tired muscles working hard. The kick of my legs and the wave-like twirl of my arms is a mindful ritual towards self-trust.
Releasing Pent Up Emotions
Because dancing is a full-body workout, it has all the benefits of exercise, including the mental health gains. When I take the time to dance, I am engaging my body, and thus creating a chemical reaction that benefits my body and mind. There is a release of endorphins (a neurotransmitter that creates positive feelings) and also the return of cortisol (the stress hormone) back to its baseline. These chemical reactions are important for ridding stress but also releasing pent up emotions as if each movement were sending off stress like a balloon in the sky. By returning cortisol to baseline with bodily movement, I am also releasing the tension and bottled-up emotions stored in my body’s muscles, organs, tissues, etc. Dancing has a positive, cathartic interaction on my mental health for releasing pent up emotions and stress.
There is beauty in the self-expression and connection of dance. Find your inner peace and awareness through a mindful dance session.