Feb. 18, 2026 | Abbi Duhart | News Editor
Though being a dancer certainly has its ups and downs, just like anything else, I highly recommend that everyone take a dance class at least once in their life. Dance, even just dancing freely alone, can have tremendous benefits for physical and mental health. There’s even a correlation between dance and improving the condition of those with Parkinson’s disease, because it improves motor skills and releases chemicals in the brain. It is also proven to be the best sport to reduce the risk of dementia because it involves both brain effort and social interaction.
Firstly, there’s no doubt that dance has many physical benefits to the body. It’s a fun way for someone to stay active, and helps improve things like strength, endurance, balance and flexibility. I mean, anyone who has taken a dance class will point out how much of a workout it is. I often find that, depending on the type of class, dance can be a workout for the legs, core and arms. For example, ballet is such a good core workout because it requires such stability, and engaging one’s core helps them keep their balance. Ballet and yoga are good ways to increase balance, which helps the body stay agile and healthy. Dance is also a really good outlet to increase flexibility, because dancers are often stretching and doing moves that push them to increase the range of motion of their bodies. It’s proven that improving flexibility has long-term benefits like a better range of motion, ease in everyday activities and movements and a reduced risk of injury. For real, though, if anyone ever needs a good workout — take a ballet class.
Dancing can also increase memory and strengthen neural connections, which overall helps the brain function faster and more efficiently. Technique classes often require dancers to retain information on different moves or vocabulary, and learning different routines also pushes one to pick up choreography faster and retain a better memory. I’ve personally noticed that, after dancing for a while, my ability to pick up and remember choreography has significantly improved.
Better visual recognition and decision-making are some other benefits of dancing. Because dancing strengthens the brain’s neural pathways, dancers’ visual recognition with things like spatial awareness is increased. Decision-making also comes into play a lot during dance, especially when doing improvisation, even if the decisions are unconscious. Along with this, I think dance really challenges creativity barriers because dancers learn to move in different ways or even make up moves. I believe dance is such a good imaginative outlet for those looking to express themselves.
It’s proven that dance can reduce stress and even help alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety. In general, dancing makes people happy, both because the music stimulates the brain’s dopamine system and because the actual dance activates sensory and motor circuits. The combination of these things increases serotonin levels, and having high serotonin means reducing anxiety and boosting happiness. I know I’ve noticed that taking a break and dancing for fun or even working on a routine can improve my mood. Dancing can also help someone escape negative thoughts and worries due to shifting focus to something else that is fun and stimulating.
Depending on the environment, I believe that dancing can also improve self-esteem. With dancing freely, one starts to worry less about what they look like and instead focuses on how they feel. If anyone wants to try improvisation, I recommend finding an open space and just dancing to music with closed eyes because it forces the focus away from what it looks like. Additionally, doing things like learning a new dance move, mastering a dance skill or even executing a routine well can show dancers that they’re capable, and can help them feel proud of an accomplishment while having fun.
Social interaction is also a big part of dance. Taking a dance class with others can be such a good environment as everyone learns and has fun together. I know that I’ve made some of my best friends through dance and have even established what feels like a community through dance classes.
There are different types of dance classes someone could take, depending on what they are looking to get out of it. I would recommend a ballet class if the goal is to gain strength, flexibility and balance. If the goal is to get moving with more free, fast-paced dancing to modern music, I would recommend a hip-hop class. For those who want to dance to both exercise and become more social, a partnering dance class, such as ballroom dance, could be a good option. There are also various yoga or stretching classes for a chill, relaxing vibe.
Overall, I think dancing can be such a good way to improve one’s physical strength and mental well-being. If anyone wants to try it out, I recommend taking a dance class or a yoga class — Western often offers free classes in the Health and Wellness Center, and the dance department occasionally hosts Friday dance labs that are open to any student — learning a dance online for fun or even just turning on some music and dancing by oneself.
Contact the author at howlnews@wou.edu
