Why dance? You gotta dance! You hear the music and it’s calling your name. “Get up and shake what yo’ mama gave ya. You heard me, get on up.” But, some people need a little more convincing before accepting the challenge.

Why dance? Here are 10 of the most powerful reasons to learn.

1. It’s good, clean fun.

I don’t care who you are, you can always use a little more fun in your life. Years ago, there was a telemarketer at a studio I worked at who used to tell people he spoke to, “Yes, ballroom dancing. You’ll love it…it’s good, clean fun.” I always got a kick out of it when he said that. But, you know, it’s so true. Thanks for a great line, Grant.

2. Physical and mental fitness improve significantly.

Physically, you’ll start to notice new muscles that you haven’t used much before. As a matter of fact, you might even be a little sore. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful sign that you’re fine-tuning your fitness level. Exercising new muscles while you’re dancing is a sneaky, painless way to get in shape.

Mental fitness improves with ballroom dancing. This is because learning to execute new steps and techniques uses the brain in a challenging manner. Although the brain is an organ and doesn’t have muscles, you might say the end result is the same as exercising your muscles. Therefore, if you want to stay sharp you’ll view your lessons as a physical and mental workout.

Here’s a post that explains why learning new and interesting things will lead to healthier mental fitness, “Treat Your Brain Like a Muscle: Exercise It”.

3. Ballroom dancing improves your social life.

Exciting experiences will increase as you add ballroom to your activities. You have to admit, “Let’s go dancing” sounds like more fun than “Let’s go to dinner.” Better yet, how about you combine the two, “Hey babe, dinner and dancing tonight?“

4. Meet new people and make more friends.

As you become a part of the dance community, you’ll find your circle of friends widening. Whether you’re going to a studio, a group class, or a club, it’s a piece of cake to make new acquaintances. In addition, the best part is you already have a common interest.

5. Ballroom dancing brings improved posture, grace & poise.

Bad posture is an issue for many people. Unfortunately, hours on the job can take a toll on how we hold ourselves. However, good dance training can fix that.

Taking lessons has the additional benefit of training your muscles. In fact, as you become more aware of how you stand, hold your head, and use your arms, legs, and feet, your posture will be straighter, with your spine stretched long.

In order to keep your balance, your head is held high with your ears lined up over your shoulders. Eventually, you‘ll develop a dancer’s grace and poise. Then, you’ll stand out in a crowd because of how you hold yourself and move so easily.

6. More poise = more confidence.

I don’t know about you, but when I set a goal and make it happen, my confidence goes through the roof. Not only does more confidence make you feel better, you look better, too. You look and feel better because you’re moving more rhythmically. When your friends ask what’s different, invite them to a Guest Party at your dance studio.

7. Impress a particular person.

Is there someone special in your life who loves to dance? For instance, we know that lots of women love being on the dance floor. By spending the time and energy to learn a skill that pleases her, you show her how much she means to you.

8. Express yourself to the music.

We all have at least one song that speaks to us. It could be the one you want for your first dance at your wedding or the one you heard after your first kiss. Communicating your feelings with dance is definitely a big benefit.

“Just Let it Go On the Dance Floor” is a Dance Safari post about losing yourself to the music. Give it a read when you get a chance.

9. A youthful appearance.

When you’re a ballroom dancer, you have a more youthful appearance. Whether it’s because you’re moving more, enjoying better posture, or just plain having more fun, you look and feel better when you make this a part of your life.

10. Stress relief.

Last on our list of the benefits of ballroom dancing is relief from stress. Stress takes a huge toll on us both mentally and physically. It affects our body, mind, and behavior. Many people have found ballroom dancing to be an excellent way to battle the stress of everyday life. There’s nothing better than a relaxing atmosphere with music, movement, and dance-lovers!

There you have it, the Dance Safari top 10 benefits of ballroom dancing that answer the question, “Why dance?“