Dance can be more beneficial than a trip to the gym if carried out at the same intensity
A recent BBC programme – How to Stay Young – brought up a number of interesting suggestions on how to help yourself age healthily and gracefully.
One of the primary ones was how staying active can help and for host Angela Rippon, it was a delight to discover that dancing is measurably better than going to the gym when done at the same level of intensity.
Various studies have backed up this claim for a variety of different conditions as well and for those diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, dancing is now making a measurable difference for many people.
Mood improvements
Dancing has been shown to lessen tremors and improve flexibility, as well as lifting mood and there is now an organisation specifically aimed at helping those with Parkinson’s find and take part in different types of dance – http://www.danceforparkinsonsuk.org/
The Dance for Parkinson’s Network is a small but expanding group of experienced teachers dedicated to providing a high quality dance experience to people with Parkinson’s. The network represent a range of dance styles from tango to ballet.
It includes small classes in rural communities, as well as programmes run by national organisations such as English National Ballet. Every class is run by specially trained teachers dedicated to providing participants with an exceptional dance experience.
Supporters
Among their supporters is People Dancing: the Foundation for Community Dance. This is the professional organisation for anyone involved in creating opportunities for people to experience and participate in dance.
Because the social element is so beneficial, the online training programme emphasises the importance of working with friends and carers, as well as with people with Parkinson’s.
According to Parkinson’s UK: “Some people find gentle exercise, including dance, can help them to move with greater ease and gain some relief from symptoms, as well as improving mood. The social benefits of being active and doing something enjoyable with others can be just as important.”
Here at SalusJoy we have long believed in the benefits of dance for personal happiness, improved health and wellbeing and also as a means of finding new friends.
Our app Global Dance Card is a free app which aims to put people in touch with either formal dance classes or more informal occasions where they can go and learn a new skill, meet new people and have fun while improving their general fitness and wellbeing.
Global Dance Card is taking part in the Pitch to Rich competition being run by entrepreneur Richard Branson’s Virgin Media Business to win part of a £1m pot of prize money and invaluable help from experts to develop and grow their business.
You can find the Pitch to Rich by clicking on the image below. To vote you need to register with VOOM either through your email, Facebook or LinkedIn accounts and, once registered, the option to vote appears in the top right hand corner of the pitch.
Vote by clicking the image
