Cultural Dance 

There is a reason why so many cultures include dancing in their ceremonies and everyday interactions. Dance is an excellent way to connect the mind and body, a concept that normal exercise can overlook. This connection brings purpose and enjoyment to the exercise. Not only that, it raises heart rate increasing blood flow, respiratory rate, and the overall movement of the body. These factors all contribute to physical activity which is necessary for a healthy life.

Obesity is a growing concern in older populations especially due to its detrimental effects on the body. Such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, dementia, and even death. Obesity rates are the highest for age ranges 65-75 but are seen increasing for adolescents (Stillman et al., 2018). Certain demographics are at increased risk including African Americans, Hispanics, and White adults. 


We are creatures designed to move... 

How can dance make a difference? 

A clinical study investigated weight loss in older obese African Americans who participated in African Dance classes 3 days per week for 24 weeks (Stillman et al., 2018). This style of dance is known as "polyrhythmic" dance which requires whole-body activation through the shoulders, torso, pelvis, and legs. Requiring significantly more movement, coordination, and endurance.  

At the end of the study, participants showed significant weight loss compared to the control group who had gained weight during the course of the study (Stillman et al., 2018). The authors concluded that dance at a moderate intensity level is an effective physical activity for promoting weight loss. 

Want to know more?

Linked below is the BetterHealth website detailing the health benefits and improvements dance can bring into your life!

References 

Stillman, Donahue, P. T., Williams, M. F., Callas, M., Lwanga, C., Brown, C., Wollam, M. E., Jedrziewski, M. K., Kang, C., & Erickson, K. I. (2018). Weight‐Loss Outcomes from a Pilot Study of African Dance in Older African Americans. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 26(12), 1893–1897. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22331