Dance and Health
Dancing has always been a part of my life. I was 4 years old when I began dancing and to this day I still love to dance.
Dance is a part of who I am, the reason for many friendships, and connections I have made through my life. Starting with just ballet classes, I eventually also took tap, jazz, and baton. As a child one may not understand the benefits of dancing, however looking back and doing research there are many benefits to dancing. These benefits are both physical and mental.
In 1993 (at 16) I performed in my last set of dance recitals as a teen pregnant with my daughter. Looking back at this picture brings both joy and sadness. This was the first dance recital without my mom by my side. It was a struggle mentally preparing to perform for the first time on stage without my mom, however I knew that she would want nothing more than for me to continue dancing. The craziness of preparing for the shows, dancing, and connections helped me through mentally. I was prepared physically. This was the last I danced for several years.
Fast forward about 4-5 years and now my daughter was at the age in which she could begin dancing. As a young single parent, extra activities were not easy due to expense, however the many benefits of dance were well worth it. Some benefits include socialization, improved balance, easy on the body, and sharper mind (Holmes, 2016). My daughter fell in love with dance just as much as I did, and we spent many hours at the dance studio. Spending many hours in the waiting room of the dance studio led me back to dance as a teacher. I taught for 7+ years until I started my nursing clinicals. It was now time for a break to focus on school along with everyday life without the added responsibility of teaching dance.
Fall 2015 my daughter and I joined an adult jazz class after years of a dance hiatus. Boy did it feel good to get back into dancing. Physically I felt a bit out of shape the first couple of classes, however that did not last long. Getting back on-stage to dance filled my soul, physically and mentally. Now a nurse, I understood the health benefits of dance at a different level. I began my nursing career in the cardiac specialty and now a Sr. Safety Specialist in research for a cardiovascular medical device company. Cardiovascular health is at the forefront of my life and well dance also has cardiovascular health benefits.
I made the decision in 2017 to take a different position with my company and relocated to Cincinnati. This is also the year I turned 40 and we all know things start going downhill, LOL! I could not dance this year due to my relocation, so I had to find another way to stay physically fit but also wanted to dance. Prior to completely relocating, my daughter and I decided to become certified to teach a dance fitness class. How perfect? Dance and fitness combined all in one. December 2017 my daughter and I joined a group of other women to complete our LaBlast Fitness certification.
LaBlast is a dance fitness program based on all the dances from Dancing with the Stars and created by Louis Van Amstel. Some of the dances include Rumba, Samba, Cha Cha, Jive, NY Hustle, and Lindy Hop to name a few.
Stay tuned! 😊 In my next blog I will discuss in more detail the LaBlast Fitness program and how we can all benefit from it physically and mentally. Sending love, light, and healthy vibes to you all!
Love,
Heather
XOXO
HeatherTheRN.com
