5 benefits of Waltz

5 benefits of Waltz

The Waltz a traditional ballroom dance was once seen as endangering the young, as uncivilised practices that would dismantle the core of the nineteenth century living. In fact the Pope and many other guardians of moral values sought to ban the waltz on the grounds that it would degrade society. The waltz introduced the potential to corrupt the youth through contact dancing and close proximity between the sexes, providing opportunities for touch and intimacy not found in the dances of old such as the minuet, quadrille or cotillion. (Dancing in Time, 2022, Hylton)

So long as this obscene display was confined to prostitutes and adulteresses, we did not think it deserving of notice; but now that it is attempted to be forced on the respectable classes of society by the civil examples of their superiors, we feel it a duty to warn every parent against exposing his daughter to so fatal a contagion.

The Times of London 1816

Now the waltz is often regarded to as the most beautiful ballroom dance and romantic. The Waltz has grown in popularity in recent times thanks to tv shows such as Come Dancing and Strictly Come Dancing. Nowadays, many people have aspirations to learn how to waltz and dance gracefully gliding across the dance floor. The Waltz dance is a ballroom dance that is danced in triple time, performed to Waltz music or Viennese waltz music and classically includes a rise and fall pattern. Find out more about the Waltz here

All dance styles carry many health and wellbeing for participants and dance is a great way to stay fit and healthy. Dance can be enjoyed by everyone no matter their age or ability.

In this blog, 5 Benefits of Waltz, Xpress-Yourself Dance CIC will highlight benefits of dancing the most beautiful ballroom dance of all, the Waltz.

Improve brain cognition

The Waltz in particular is a difficult dance because of the 3/4-time signature and the change of directions. However, both of these combined ensure the brain involves all the brain functions simultaneously – from musical and kinaesthetic, to rational and emotional. 

Improve ankle strength

The rise and fall element of the Waltz, encourage you to rise up onto the balls of your feet. This essentially strengthens your calf muscles. Strong calf muscles support the knee and ankle joint preventing injury. Strong calf muscles can also support ankles and knees that suffer with arthritis and whilst will not eliminate the pain may reduce the pain experienced.

Improves Balance

Consequently as a direct result of strengthening your calf muscles you will see improvements in your balance. Heel rises are often an exercises prescribed by physiotherapists to help strengthen the muscles around your ankle and knee joint and improve your ability to balance. You may initially start heel rises exercise with finger tips holding onto the back of a chair before your become confident to to complete the exercise with no support.

Strengthens muscles and bones

Those long backward strides work the core muscles. as well as the upper and lower legs hard. The more you practice dancing the waltz the stronger your muscles will become. Additionally the transferring of weight from one foot to another also strengthens your bone density. The waltz is a great dance to help you maintain healthy ageing and improve your experience of living with osteoporosis. Please always seek medical advice before engaging in new physical activity.

Improves cardiovascular health

The continuous movements requires you to transfer your weight from one foot to the other approximately 90 times per minutes. all of this movement, your cardiovascular system benefits from waltzing as much as it does from more traditional cardio exercises such as cycling and treadmill use, according to the American Heart Association.

Xpress-Yourself Dance CIC wanted to highlight 5 benefits of waltz, but actually their are 6. Finally the last benefit of dancing the waltz and probably the most important is that it:

Makes you feel good

When you dance the the long elongated gliding steps to the flowing graceful melodies you can’t help but feel graceful and elegant. To keep time with the music, you must constantly count 1-2-3 while you are moving your body and so it provides perfect opportunity to escape your daily worries as you really have to focus to keep in time.

In summary the 5 benefits of waltz highlight that when you dance and waltz in particular you challenge your body and brain. It demonstrates how the waltz is a dance that can be enjoyed at any age and confirms that it support healthy ageing.

If you enjoyed reading our 5 benefits of Waltz blog then you may be interested in reading our 5 benefits of cha cha

Xpress-Yourself Dance CIC run weekly dance classes suitable for older adults across Birmingham, Solihull, Walsall and Sandwell. You’ll learn dancing from around the world, (including the Waltz) with no need for a partner. Find out more Keep Dancing here

Keep Dancing!

Faye

5 benefits of waltz
Keep Dancing Quinton dancing the waltz helping us to highlight the 5 benefits of waltz

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