During the 14 years that I have been
teaching dance, my students have been individuals and couples from all walks of
life; each with his or her unique personality, career path, life style, and
income level. My students also come to the dance floor at all skill levels:
from the novice dancer taking the first lesson, to the seasoned professional
seeking an experience, certified coach.
HOWEVER, all of my students have one
quality in common: a deep desire for personal growth and the recognition that
dance is an investment in this growth.
The benefits of dance are too
numerous to list in full so, I will address three that my students commonly
experience; these are: physical fitness, stress relief, and self-mastery of a
beautiful art.
Physical Fitness
Dance is beautiful form of
locomotion that builds physical strength, muscle control, and often provides
aerobic exercise. I have seen many individuals incorporate dance into a
lifestyle of healthy food choices and regular workouts to increase weight loss,
muscle tone, and strength. I have one student who has been especially
successful at using dance as a vehicle to better physical health and weight
loss. I cannot express how proud I am of her! She has used dance to make an
investment in her personal growth and a healthier lifestyle. Through dance she
is reaping great rewards!
Stress Relief
I commonly encounter students who
have a long-time desire to learn to dance but, set aside this dream until they
are faced with dramatic life changes requiring new avenues of stress relief.
Dance introduces students to a new community of people with a common interest
and can provide a mental vacation from the stress that life and change brings.
I have witnessed amazing personal growth in individuals who find a path to
dance following: divorce or loss of a partner, a move to a new city, or
retirement. I have also watched dance transform couples, even save marriages,
through the time invested in the relationship through the learning process;
and, I have seen renewed intimacy blossom when couples discover a new shared
interest that brings fun and excitement to their lives. The possibility of
personal growth and stress relief through dance is limitless.
Self-Mastery
In my personal experience, one of
the greatest benefits of dance is the path to self-mastery. As in any
discipline, this requires commitment, patience with the learning process, an
investment of time and resources. However, the rewards that are reaped through
sowing these seeds are deeply fulfilling. It is easy to see how this applies to
professional and competitive dancers. However, I have seen many amateur
students growth through self-mastery of a dance discipline. This may be most
evident in my youth students. Often the personal discipline and self-commitment
required by a young person is impressive. For anyone who commits to the
journey, dance will provide growth in the areas of mental sharpness, physical
control and skill, and a mental, emotional connection to the body.
The benefits of dance are countless!
Don't allow time or cost prevent you from finding your own personal path to
growth trough this beautiful art. And, don't wait for a crisis to lead you to
fulfillment of a life-long dream.
Dance is one of the greatest
investments in yourself you will ever make.
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