Ballroom Dancing By Jan Pirnat
Everyculturehasitssignatureformof Mymusic experienceindancestartedasachild anddance.Therearesomanyformsand whereIwouldjustallowmybodytomove typesofdancefromAfricandancetoZumba tothemoodofmusic.Inhighschool, andeverythingelseinbetween.A21-year dancingwasveryawkwardsinceonehad studyofseniorcitizens,75andolder,wastocoordinatewithapartneroftheoppo conductedbytheAlbertEinsteinCollege of Iwasincollege,Iexperiencedfolk sex.When Medicine,fundedbytheNationalInstitute danceandsquaredance.WhenChuckandI onAgingandpublishedinNew theEngland married,weengagedinballroomdanceand Journal of Medicine,reportedthat,dancing icedance.AftermovingfromtheUniversit integratesseveralbrainfunctions once— toFlorida,ouricedancefellby ofat Illinois kinesthetic,rational,musical,andemotional wayside,andballroomdancebecamesparse —furtherincreasingyourneuralconnectivity. sincewewereengagedinworkandraising Sodancingtomusickeepsyourbodyand ourfamily.Afterthekidswereoutofthene brainhealthyandactive. weslowlyrenewedourinterestinballr dance.Nowwedanceandtakelessonsat Accordingtothestudy,theattributes that least onceaweekattheWayneG.Sanborn danceservesare: ActivityCenterinDeLand. •Reducesstressanddepression. •Increasesenergyandserotonin. Ballroomdancedatesbacktothesixtee •Improvesflexibility,strength,balance, century.Ithasevolvedintowhatweknow andendurance. today,comprisingmanydi-•erenttypes •Strengthensbonesandboosts ofdancewithmanyvariationsofsteps. cardiovascularhealth. Ballroomdanceisusedasasocialevent •Increasesmentalcapacityby ` althoughitisalsousedascompetition exercisingcognitiveprocesses. bronze,silverandgoldlevels.Ofthemany •Createsnewneuralpathsbydynamic typesofballroomdance,theonesChuckan andrapid-firedecisionmaking. Idoarewaltz,foxtrot,swing,rumba,bolero, cha-cha,country/westerntwo-stepandtan Musicanddancegotogetherlikeahorse ChuckandIarenowworkingonatango andcarriage.Youcan’thaveonewithout the forPhyllisDale’snextperformin showcase other.Alittlechildbouncingupanddown to arts program.Iamalsostartingtolineda music,oranelderlypersonsittingina with chair theJohnKnoxlinedancegroup. tappingafoottotherhythmofmusicisreally notaformaltypeofdance,butitdefinitely Tofurtherdescribethetypesofdancewed ismusicbeingmadevisible,therefore,the it'swaltz a isveryelegant,thefoxtrotisl dance. awalkinthepark,theswingislikechildr
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Village Life Magazine - March/April 2022
