Grooving to your favorite tunes is a great way to have fun and take your mind off daily worries. Plus, dancing can actually improve balance and coordination. It may even help prevent falls, especially in older adults.
If you’re ready to try your hand at a new dance move or routine, practice carefully with an instructor first. Mirror the movements and angles of your instructor until you feel confident performing them on your own. Start with small segments, such as a few eight-counts, to avoid getting hurt. If you’re self-taught, try watching videos of dance performances that break down moves into simple segments and teach them step by step.
In addition to learning the movements and rhythms of a particular style of dance, try learning about how a dancer conveys emotions and moods through their body language and facial expressions. This can help you incorporate expressive elements into your own dances and make them more authentic and interesting to watch.
When dancing in front of a group, it’s important to let go of any concerns about how you look. Although some people may snicker or point, random bystanders aren’t your audience—and anyway, you shouldn’t be dancing for how you look, but for the sense of meaning it brings to your life.
