My college friends, who had already contracted instructors for weekly sessions, succeeded in convincing me of the health benefits of the retro dances. My friends were right. Moderate dances, like tango, mambo and cha-cha burns as much as 300 calories in an hour, while vigorous dances like the jitterbug, burns as much as 400 calories. As an exercise, ballroom dancing ranks alongside swimming, brisk walking, cycling and tennis in helping reduce weight, control blood pressure and lower the risk of coronary ailments. Dancing also improves coordination, balance and flexibility, toning the leg and buttock muscles, and is known to help build strong bones and reduce age-related muscle loss and back pains.
Dancing contributes to a better overall appearance, poise and posture.
Furthermore, unlike repetitious and boring aerobic exercises that can overuse certain muscle groups, dancing employs varied steps and rhythms, creative moves and challenging shuffles, making the activity extremely motivating. I was sold. I could move gracefully, I could swing with a partner, I could perform and impress my friends with my newfound virtuoso. Dancing just made me feel good about myself. Also, because ballroom dancing is dancing with a partner, it requires the two individuals to focus on their partners, to interact and communicate through touch and body signals, and together concentrate on perfecting a harmonious flow of movement.