Whether you are three years old or 83 years old, there is always something to be learned through dance. After studying jazz, ballet, modern, and tap dance at Eugene Loring’s American School of Dance, and teaching ballroom and swing dance for many years, I’ve been able to learn a lot about myself. Dance really has a way of teaching some life lessons just when you need to learn them.
What can you learn from dance?
Leave your comfort zone
Trying new things is where the excitement of life lies. Interesting things can happen when we leap outside of the comfort zone we’ve built for ourselves. If you’ve never tried a particular type of dancing… … or if you’ve never experienced dance at all, over time you’ll learn to leave your inhibitions at the door. Dance is a place of self-expression and fun.
Work as a team
Are you dancing with a partner? Working together is essential to success in dancing. There will always be a leader and a follower in your routine, but teamwork is what makes your dancing together flow with more ease, therefore increasing your enjoyment.
Satisfaction
The process of learning to dance can be fun, good exercise, and bring much delight as you move forward and see your progression. It will be well worth all of the effort and persistence in learning and mastering the steps to be gliding across the dance floor with confidence.
Trust
Especially when dancing with a partner, trust is essential. You have to trust him to lead you. You have to trust her to follow you. Even if you simply have to trust each other enough to show up to practice, trust is earned through dedication and much repetition.
Be Yourself
Dancing enables you to really express yourself through movement and the music. One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that the most beautiful dances are the ones that the dancer really connects with. There are many to choose from. Try out different dance styles and see which ones you resonate with the most. Start with those, and later on spread your wings with more styles.
Practice makes perfect
When you first get out on the dance floor, you may not be great. This is how most everyone starts – even the best. How much you get better whether at a quicker or slower pace depends on desire and discipline in training. Enjoy the process of learning and then you can express your inner and outer dancing self.