Dear Reader, According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic, social dancing provides the body with many health benefits. It may help reduce stress, increase energy, and improve strength, muscle tone, and coordination.
Dancing can also burn as many calories as walking or riding a bike.
One factor that determines how many calories you will use is the distance you travel while grooving to the beat. In one study, researchers found that square dancers covered five miles in a single evening. Other aspects of dance that contribute to your cardiovascular conditioning depend on how long, how often, and how intensely or vigorously you boogie and get down. Another plus of dancing is that the weight bearing movements of your steps can strengthen the bones of your legs and hips, important for maintaining bone health as you age. As a result, dancing may be used as part of a rehabilitation program, of course with appropriate supervision.