The health benefits of dancing are well-established. When people take part in different types of dance, there’s a measurable change and uplift in their mood.
They become more energised and enthusiastic, less depressed and anxious, there are even positive changes in their information and thought processes. Even five minutes of dancing makes people think more sharply and laterally.

Dancing also has benefits for the family members and work colleagues of those who dance due to the ‘ripple effect’ that dancing causes. If the ‘dancer’ feels less depressed and anxious, more energetic and enthusiastic then this undoubtedly has a knock-on effect to the people the ‘dancer’ surrounds themselves with. The husband of one of my client’s who has had to miss a few classes recently due to personal circumstances has said that he wishes she would hurry up and go back to dancing because she isn’t as happy if she isn’t dancing.

Dancing also promotes physical fitness – it contributes to heart and lung health, is a great workout for toning and strengthening muscles, helps maintain a healthy weight, strengthens the bones and increases flexibility. One of my clients recently told me that she won at a game of Twister at Christmas when playing with her grandchildren. Another client after only a couple of weeks of attending classes said she could now walk up the stairs to the studio without stopping half way for a rest.

Dancing is also a great way to meet new friends and socialise with like-minded people in a safe, non-judgemental environment. Many of my clients come on their own for the first time, however after a few weeks are arranging coffee dates and theatre trips with the other ladies.

So why don’t more people dance? Surveys have been done why people don’t dance and the reasons people give for not dancing socially are to do with self-confidence. It is largely because people don’t know what to do and feel they’ll be judged, so dancing has become something they do secretly at home – where no one can see you!

Nobody has two left feet. What people do have is a kind of layer of anxiety wrapped around their body and, when they’re anxious about moving, they tense their muscles which makes it very difficult to feel a rhythm.

I don’t really teach people how to dance as such, I work with them to help them shake off their psychological anxiety around dancing and encourage them to ‘dance like no one is watching’ and, once they get rid of that out comes their inner show girl!! Everyone has it in them to dance, in fact we were born to dance
Dr Peter Lovatt – aka Dr Dance, – who runs the Dance Psychology Lab at the University of Hertfordshire says – “There’s something called sensory-motor coupling and we know that all humans engage in this and feel an urge to move in response to rhythmic stimuli,” he explains.

“We’ve surveyed many thousands of people looking at dance confidence across their life spans and we know people use dance in different ways at different stages of their lives. Two-day-old babies can perceive rhythm, five-month-old babies will shake their bodies in response to it and, by the age of four, we can move our bodies in time with music.”

 

INVITATION TO A FREE ‘ON BROADWAY’® TASTER CLASS

If you would like to ‘reveal your inner show girl’ and ‘dance like no one is watching’ and give ‘On Broadway’® a go please click here for more details regarding our up and coming FREE taster classes at our ‘On Broadway’® studio on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield. We also have classes in Dronfield, Chesterfield & Bakewell – http://www.katyrobinsonfitnessfusion.co.uk/#!taster-class-sign-up-forms/c119e

Katy Robinson – ‘On Broadway’®

About Katy & ‘On Broadway’®
Hi my name is Katy Robinson, Director of Katy Robinson Fitness Fusion Ltd and creator of ‘On Broadway’. We believe every woman deserves to feel confident, allow time for themselves and find something they love to do in order to get fit! Our team of passionate, experienced instructors use top hats, feather boas, canes and songs from all the popular Broadway shows, in local community venues that offer safe, non-judgemental classes for women of all ages, shapes, sizes and those with two left feet.

We work with women of all ages who have a passion for dance! Ideally you are mid 40’s through to any age – you are never too old to dance. You may have had previous experience of dancing – be it as a young child going to a dance class or as a teenager doing it more seriously or as an experienced dancer, or you have always wanted to learn to dance but never had the chance. Typically you struggle with finding something you really love doing to keep fit that doesn’t seem like hard work and you may dislike going to the gym and doing the typical aerobic classes. You may feel intimidated in other classes and fear that you lack co-ordination, are un-fit, what if everyone is better than you and what if everyone is younger than you. You would like to improve your confidence, stamina and co-ordination whilst getting fit and having fun and be able to escape into make believe and have a little bit of ‘me’ time each week and meet like-minded women.

What separates my ‘On Broadway’ ® dance classes from other adult dance/fitness classes is my background as a professional dancer, dance and fitness teacher and choreographer, fused with my coaches and I’s infectious enthusiasm, knowledge of musical theatre, passion for dance and fitness, combined with our ability to break down the most complex of choreography. As a result ‘On Broadway’ clients receive a unique dance class that enables you to have fun whilst getting fit doing what you love doing and a chance for you to reveal their ‘inner show girl’ and learn to dance like no one is watching!

‘On Broadway’® classes also incorporate positive mind-set techniques to promote health, happiness and wellbeing. They also include ‘Be Activated’ muscle activation technique to help increase flexibility and optimum muscle function. Making you feel at ease, providing you with a safe space to exercise and allowing you to relax and be yourself, having fun with like-minded women and creating a community is our number one priority. An increase in fitness, flexibility and co-ordination is a by-product and learning how to dance is a bonus.