I’ve come to realize through my personal experience that dancing can really cure illnesses — both physically and mentally. Dancing for a few hours each week can really have a positive and powerful impact on your well-being and in your life. Here’s why:

1. It’s good for your health. Studies show that dancing can help you lose weight, improve your heart and lungs, increase your muscular strength and fitness and reduces stress.

2. It doesn’t feel like a work-out. There are so many types of dancing you can choose from that you will never have to stick to a boring routine or a tedious cardio session. Dancing gives you the chance to work-out without dreading it. It’s also for all ages, shapes and sizes and it’s timeless.

3. It’s good for your brain. According to studies; dancing can help boost your memory and prevent you from developing dementia and maximizes your brain function.

4. Dancing soothes your soul. Music in general can make people feel better – by combining the effects of both music and dancing you get a double shot of happiness that helps get your mind off whatever difficulties you are going through.

5. It balances your energies. When you are in a group class, the fun and positive energy of the people around you and the general atmosphere of the class will spread to you. It’s contagious and it will definitely get to you the moment you step in the class.

6. It liberates you. Dancing is a form of self-expression. When you freely move your body or dance for hours, you feel liberated. You don’t censor your body and there is no social pressure to worry about. It can also be a form of meditation – you can actually lose yourself in a dance or in a song and your focus becomes mainly on your body and your movement.

7. It builds your self-confidence. You may be self-conscious at first when you start dancing but after a few twists and tumbles, you will get the hang of it and feel more confident about yourself. It also makes you feel better about your body and your movement in general which is sometimes the only confidence boost you need.

8. It’s fun. People go out on weekends to dance, people go to concerts to dance and they are always finding ways to dance because it’s fun and exciting. If you dance on a regular basis you will be able to experience the same kind of fun without having to wait for a special occasion to make it happen.

9. It improves your posture. Dancing can improve your posture and your overall body language, it also improves your balance. Dancing works the back muscles surrounding the spine which gives you a good posture.

10. You make new friends. If you’ve been attending the same dance class, you start bonding with your fellow dancers especially if you meet up to dance after class!

11. It can help alleviate your mood swings or your insomnia. Dancing puts you in a good mood and produces a lot of sweat that helps in detoxification of the body. It helps you get rid of the harmful toxins in your body and helps you relax which can result in a better night’s sleep.

12. You learn about other cultures. You can tell a lot about a certain culture by their dance, it offers you an inside look at different cultures and it can definitely open new doors for you to travel or mingle with people from different countries.

13. Dancing evokes creativity. Dancing can help you get in touch with your inner creative and embrace your artistic and unconventional side. People who love dancing are less likely to be judgmental or follow the rules which can inspire you to truly be yourself.

14. It makes you age gracefully. It’s an expression used in many cultures ‘dancers never age,’ whether it’s their happy spirits, their enviable postures, their wonderful energies and their strong connection to their minds and their bodies – dancers seem to have found the fountain of youth right under their feet, and you can too.