“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life

See that girl, watch that scene, diggin’ the Dancing Queen”

So goes the very popular “Dancing Queen” by ABBA. Have you ever wondered how those who dance always sport a bright smile and seem to be having the time of their life? They seem so happy to be dancing, don’t they?

Dancing is more than art; it’s a way of life. It is all about expressing your emotions and this has been for millennia now. Dance is an instant shot of happiness, swaying to the music, tapping to the beat takes away your worries and relieves stress like magic. What is it about dancing that makes it such a great stress reliever?

Dance releases endorphins

Science explains that endorphins are neurotransmitters or chemicals that transmit signals from one neuron to another. They are released by exertion of the body to a certain level and are responsible for feelings of excitement and satisfaction. You may have heard of the ‘runners high’ where runners experience an extreme sense of satisfaction after a run similar to that from using opiates.

Similarly dancing also exerts the body and causes a high, leaving the dancer happy and satisfied.

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Music is key

Music is known to be a great factor to relieve stress as well and there are several theories and research to prove the positive effect of music on the well being of a person. Dance is always accompanied by music and they work your body and mind both in harmony to create this sense of satisfaction.

Dancing to your favorite songs can heighten this sense of satisfaction and release more endorphins.

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Social activity

In India, dancing has always been a social activity whether it is to celebrate harvests or events, every part of India has a special dance. However in the last couple of centuries, dancing as a community took a backseat. Only some groups of people continued to dance as it was looked down by the middle class. Unlike the west, Indians don’t dance is casual family gatherings. It is still restricted to sangeets at weddings or parties at clubs.

Dancing will get you to spend time with other people on days you don’t want to be alone. When you don’t want to talk, it’s best to dance your blues. It facilitates social interactions and who knows your dance moves can even attract that special someone!

Things that Inspire

There are so many forms of dancing which you can pick up from. Classical, contemporary, street dancing or simply move your hips to your favorite song. If you still want to be motivated to dance you should watch movies like Step Up series, Dirty Dancing or Bollywood movies like ABCD. If a movie isn’t enough, you can catch up on TV series like ‘So you think you can dance’ and ‘Strictly come dancing’. So what are you waiting for? Get your dancing shoes on and turn up the music!

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