If you’ve been to the gym lately, you might have seen a group of people dancing to loud, vigorous music in the name of aerobics, except it is not aerobics in the classic sense of the word; it is just vigorous dancing named Zumba.
As it turns out, dancing is more fun than exercising which explains why more people go to the gym to dance than to lift weights and stretch.
As it turns out, again, dancing regularly has huge health benefits. So if work is stressing you out and you hate going to the gym, dance.
It can be difficult to balance your physical health along with your 10-hour work schedule. Not everyone loves investing their time at the gym and not everyone likes physical activities. But you still want a solution to release that pent up stress and sore muscles.
Dancing does help you mentally as well as physically. But there are some dance forms that are known to help with certain illnesses like arthritis. Dancing also requires the coordination of your entire body, and this is known to help combat diseases like dementia or Alzheimer’s as well. And let’s not forget, dancing will lift up your mood too.
Here are some dances to try out regularly.
Salsa
Classy, energetic and sensual. Salsa is a combination of all these. Originated in the 1970s in New York, Salsa involves heavy swaying, bending and swirls. The salsa dance movements help your body to become flexible and it also helps you shape-up your lower body. A 30-minute salsa session can make you burn about 300 calories.
Belly dance
The dance form made popular by pop singer Shakira and later Katrina Kaif is a great exercise as well. This originated in the Middle East, and it is a great way of tightening your muscles and decreasing abdominal fat. An hour of belly dancing can burn about 300 calories. Do a shimmy with your girl gang. Fun, isn’t it?
Hip-Hop dancing
Energy and swag. What more can a dancer ask for? A dance full of attitude, it is immensely popular. Originated in New York in the 1960s, it involves loads of breaking, locking and popping. It is a quick and fun way of losing weight. About 300 calories can be burnt in one session of hip- hopping.
Ballet
Considered to be a very difficult form to learn, it is a sophisticated dance form. Originated in Renaissance Italy in the 19th century, it is characterized by light, graceful movements and the use of pointed shoes with reinforced toes. Ballet strengthens your thighs, hips, back and increases muscle flexibility. About 500 calories can be burnt in a 90- minute ballet session.
Congolese rumba
Congolese rumba or Lingala is a popular genre of dance music that originated in the Congo basin during the 1940s, deriving from Cuban son. The style gained popularity throughout Africa during the 1960s and 1970s. It involves a lot of wiggling and shaking the body in a beautiful coordination.
