We Ccnfc Belfort love to dance. Besides being a fun way to exercise and express ourselves through our bodies with the help of music, dance has multiple benefits for physical, mental and even emotional health.

Physical benefits of dancing

• It strengthens the heart. Dancing is a cardiovascular exercise comparable to cycling or walking. It helps the heart stay strong by increasing the heart rate and improving lung capacity and is recommended to reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition, by stimulating circulation, the whole body improves (skin, breathing,…).
• It helps to lose weight. Dancing promotes the drainage of liquids and toxins from the body and the elimination of excess fat. Therefore, it is a fun way to burn calories (it is estimated that in half an hour of constant dancing you can burn between 200 and 400 calories), fight overweight, obesity and high cholesterol levels.
• It corrects bad posture. Regular exercise through dance helps to correct bad postures derived from daily life (work, study,…), achieving a healthier body position.
• Strengthens muscles and bones. It increases flexibility, strength and physical resistance, helping to keep the body free of injuries. Dancing is also a great antidote to osteoporosis, as it prevents the loss of bone mass and is a perfect exercise for toning up the bones without stressing the joints.
• It increases energy. Although it may seem like the opposite, dancing increases our energy levels. If you often feel tired, dancing regularly will help you regain the energy lost throughout the day.
• It enhances coordination. Dancing improves agility and coordination of movements, as well as balance.

Mental benefits of dancing

• It improves memory. Dance helps increase memory and prevent the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, because aerobic exercise can reverse the loss of volume in the hippocampus, the part of the brain that controls memory, which shrinks naturally during adulthood.
• It increases intelligence. Dancing improves mental acuity because it involves quick decision-making, stimulating the connectivity of the brain. So don’t be discouraged if at first you can’t follow a choreography or a class. Hard classes are the best, as they encourage you to have a greater need for new neural connections, thus increasing your neural connectivity. You will see that your choreographic memory will improve. Test your intelligence, take on new challenges.

Emotional benefits of dancing

• It eliminates stress. Dance is ideal to help people suffering from depression, since it stimulates the production of endorphins (hormones that fight stress) and fights feelings of isolation, as well as contributing to the regulation of serotonin and dopamine levels, key neurotransmitters to prevent this disease.
• It provides happiness. In relation to the previous point (the production of endorphins), dancing will make you feel happier, no matter how old you are. By reducing stress and tension, dancing provides a sense of general well-being, helping to express emotions and channel adrenaline, thus raising the mood.
• It improves confidence and self-esteem. By learning a new step or a new choreography, you experience an increase in confidence and self-esteem.
• It contributes to socialization. Dance is a social activity, as it generates opportunities to meet other people. Joining dance classes can help you develop social skills and eliminate shyness.