You Should Be Dancing
5 minute read
If you’re in your late 40s, you’ll remember how the 1980s classic, Dirty Dancing, became as much a part of our teenage lexicon as MTV and mixed cassette tapes. It was the dancing more than the romancing wasn’t it? Had Johnny and Baby sealed their relationship with a mere kiss rather than a gravity-defying dance routine, would we have been quite so captivated by the couple? Similarly, in 2017’s La La Land, had the so-so love story between Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling not been punctuated by infectious and unexpected dance routines, would we have experienced such an enormous feel-good factor from the film? In both movies, the joy of the dance trumped our enjoyment of the romance.
This is because when we watch others dance, our brains become highly stimulated, according to Dance Magazine, “and we can vicariously feel a dancer’s movement in our own bodies”. The 2017 article goes on to explain that choreography toys with our emotions. “Different body shapes trigger different emotions…watching a ballet dancer’s soft round shapes can generate positive feelings…” As a Strictly Come Dancing fan, I can relate to this. Who doesn’t feel better after watching a samba, rumba or salsa?
If merely watching dance produces powerful mood-boosting endorphins, surely performing it must have even greater health benefits?
Former professional dancer Fiona Fagan, who for 10 years, performed with the likes of Boyzone and Cher on iconic TV shows such as Top Of The Pops and The Brit Awards, is passionate about the positive effects dancing can have on our wellbeing. “Dancing touches the mind, body and soul,” she explains, “and there are few forms of exercise that have this kind of reach. No other sport allows you the same kind of freedom of expression. The rhythmic moves, the music…dancing provides a huge release for our emotions, including frustrations and anxieties, which is brilliant for anyone who worries a lot. And it’s just a lot of fun.”
It’s true. Research suggests that besides helping to improve muscular strength, motor fitness, bone strength, coordination and balance, dancing can help to significantly ease anxiety and improve cognitive function. According to News-Medical.net, dance has been shown to reduce depressive symptoms in hospitalized individuals, it’s resulted in reduced levels of depression in teenagers, and it’s demonstrated a mood boost in Parkinson’s sufferers. Fiona, who is now a stylist and, fittingly, works on RTÉ’s annual production of Dancing With The Stars, regretfully says that these days, she only attends dance classes when she visits friends in LA. “This is a normal thing for girlfriends to do on a week night over there,” says the 44-year-old. “We don’t have a culture of dancing as exercise, or for fun, here in Ireland.” She’s right. Our heritage is anchored in Sean Nós and step dancing, neither of which have ever been marketed to women in midlife – I associate the former with flat cap-wearing father figures, and the latter with ringleted tweens – and once you’re passed the stage of going out clubbing, dancing for fun becomes as much a part of your midlife existence as Copper Face Jacks and Southern Comfort.
Of course, we’re also a nation defined by our diffidence. When I studied ballet as a young girl, I could just about handle being watched if the lesson was choreographed, but once we were instructed to ‘freestyle’ it, I wanted out of the room immediately. Clubbing, thankfully, came with cocktails, which erased the inhibitions of even the most reserved among us.
The “freedom of expression” which dance encourages isn’t an incentive for everyone. That’s why we joke (in earnest) about dancing around our kitchens. For many of us, expressing ourselves is fine as long as nobody observes it.
Wicklow-based midlifer Annmarie Woods doesn’t disagree. She joined Dance Greystones in January 2019 and tells me that dance groups do tend to attract individuals willing to step outside of their comfort zones and try something different. “For this reason it’s not just a great way to stay fit and healthy, but it’s a terrific way to form friendships, because you’re hanging out with like-minded people.”
The weekly dance group involves learning a selection of different dance styles chosen by teacher Vicki Andreanska, and Annmarie explains that the ten or so other members are incredibly supportive, both in helping each other with steps, but also in buoying each other through difficult times. Earlier this year, the mother-of-two’s father passed away. “There was always a hug for me from my fellow dancers during that time. But just the simple joy of dancing and the distraction it provided really lifted my spirits.” She believes dance is an incredible resource for those dealing with anxiety or trauma and reveals that there are several members who attend Dance Greystones for this very reason. “When you observe the growth people experience by challenging themselves through dance and bonding with their peers, the importance of it is really clear.”
Diffidence to one side – and who better than midlifers entering their second act to shake off old foibles – for so many of us, dance could be the antidote to daily routines which often revolve around computers and cars, leaving us feeling totally disconnected from our bodies.
The energy required and endorphins released while dancing make us feel alive in the same way as swimming in the sea and playing in the snow. They’re each a reminder of younger, more playful times. But beyond boosting mood, building friendships and linking us directly back to our limbs, there’s another important reason to consider dance classes in midlife and beyond. According to a study published last year in Menopause, the journal of The North American Menopause Society, dance can help to improve the heart health of post-menopausal women. In a recent article on Heyday, Dr Lisa Hynes revealed that 60% of people in Ireland over 50 suffer from hypertension, which can eventually lead to heart disease if not managed.
For the postmenopausal study, 36 sedentary women participated in dance for 90 minutes, three times a week for 16 weeks. At the end of this four month period, each of the women included in the study demonstrated lower triglycerides (a type of blood fat that if too high can contribute to heart disease) and higher levels of ‘good’ cholesterol. It’s a persuasive argument for swapping running for a rumba. But like some of you, it may take me time to shake off my fear of audience participation and organised ‘fun’. So in the meantime, I’ll make do with Strictly reruns.
Marie Kelly, April 2022
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