Dancing: A Hidden Therapy

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By Emma Dowell, Reporter

For the past several decades, dancing has been seen as something small and a trick to be done at parties. Little does the world know, dancing is an escape for a lot of people and has been classified as a,“Hidden Therapy.” This may sound kind of ridiculous, but the precious time you have alone and are able to just sit all your worries aside and only focus on the sound of the music and your feet hitting the floor, you may agree with me. 

 

The movement of dance is a great form of exercise, which is not only for physical health, but also emotional and mental health as well. Music itself can be a very powerful thing. Many people find specific genres of music they feel maybe pertains to their life or brings some sort of joy to them. It can affect our moods and our state of well-being by triggering memories and other emotional experiences. According to the DRC, “Any form of exercise is great for relieving stress in the mind and body. Dance is no different. Dance is a great stress reliever, not only because it is great physically for the body but it is also emotionally therapeutic. Since movement can be related to thoughts and feelings, dancing can bring changes to emotions and attitudes almost instantly.” Given the information, when people are given the opportunity to dance a lot of the stressors they face on a daily basis seem to go away for a little bit as they are able to focus on something else. 

 

Not only is dance seen as a great way to take the stress we face daily away, but it also improves self confidence and esteem. According to Thrive Global, “Similar to other artists, you may begin to discover your own personal dance style as time goes on and you attend your dance classes regularly. As you start to dance more authentically and in line with who you are, you will set yourself aside from other dancers which will, in turn, boost your confidence. Therefore, feel free to explore, trust the process, and see where your curiosity and dedication takes you.” Many people in today’s society have the problem of questioning their purpose. They are so caught up in what is going on around them that they don’t even focus on themselves. Dancing is seen as a way for people to realize their self worth and also show themselves that they can achieve whatever they want in this world as long as they give %100. 

 

Dancing is also another way one can get over their social fears and improve communication skills. Usually there is something in our lives that drives us to behave the way we do. Whether that is your home environment, past experiences, or the way you were raised. However, many people face the fears of social interactions. Dancing is not just an individual sport, but it can also be a very social and team relying sport as well. According to Thrive Global, “Taking dancing classes isn’t only great for your physical and mental health, but it can do wonders for your social skills as well, even more so if you’re attending group classes. Dancing with different partners and interacting with them will help you get more comfortable around other people instead of worrying whenever you have to dance with someone you’ve never danced before.” Being involved with other people could bring a whole new outlook on your life. One thing that I always live by is you act the same way your environment does. So, if you place yourself in a positive environment you will begin to reap the benefits of it. On the other hand, it goes the same way. If you place yourself in a bad environment you will begin to take some of those attributes as well. 

 

To conclude, dancing should not be seen as something small, but crucial to our society. The lack of knowledge on the benefits of dancing is the reason why we aren’t seeing the growth in the sport. However, if you are reading this article and feeling the power to be motivated, get up and go put on a song and forget all of your worries. You might enjoy it!