By Richard Tew
“Tip to improve physical and spiritual fitness to help run life’s race with success.”
“Dance, dance wherever you may be…”
So says a line in the old Shaker hymn entitled “Lord of the Dance.” In time the hymn would be the central tune and theme to Irish dance superstar Michael Flatley’s masterful Irish dance production branded with the same name.
Dance, in all of it’s forms has been enjoyed by people the world over. It’s required learning in many creative endeavors like theater and some forms of acting.
Not only is dance a creative outlet, it’s a physical undertaking that all can enjoy.
Early in all dancers’ careers, the basics of their choose style are taught. Some of those fundamentals are universal to all dance forms, some specific to the style being learned. All involve tuning the motor skills of each budding dancer. Also being worked is muscle strength, flexibility and muscle control.
The psychological workout is equally demanding. Learning and developing confidence, handling stressful situations and learning patterns not found in other activities are all challenging to dancers. The reward is a sharper, quicker-thinking and a more in-control dancer.
Dance doesn’t only benefit kids but adult dancers as well.
Research from The New England Journal of Medicine showed dancing may boost the memory and prevent the development of dementia as we age get older. It also helps keep aging muscles from atrophying and loosing their flexibility; key benefits to help keep slips and falls at bay.
There are also additional benefits such as weight loss and stress relief.
Then there is the spiritual aspect of dance which is very powerful. Most dancers feel a deep emotional connection to their chosen dance form. The dancers I teach in my own students often talk about how dance “takes them to another place, makes them feel alive and helps them forget their troubles. This can help dancers focus on more positive experiences and keep them away from activities that may otherwise be harmful to them.
Not all dance is created equal and not all styles are right for every person. Some dance forms are single style, while others have multiple disciplines under a main stylistic umbrella. For instance Irish dance has three styles: soft shoe, hard shoe and “Ceili” or group dancing. Make sure whatever style you choose, you research the teacher and their experience. I would recommend selecting a teacher who is associated with an established parent organization. There is a level of accountability and proficiency with organizations. They all have minimum experience standards for membership. Also, organizations on the whole, require their members be vetting and background-checked.
Time commitment. It’s always recommend to dancers to stay in classes at least three months to really get a feel for the class, fellow students and most importantly the teacher. Taking a free class really doesn’t give a prospective dancer a feel for what they could learn and get out of the class. Make sure to communicate with your instructor, tell them your goals and any health limitations you might have.
Pick a style, put your dance shoes on and enjoy the benefits of dance.
Richard Tew is an Irish dance instructor registered with the Congress of Irish Dance Teachers (An Chomhdhail) based out of Dublin, Ireland and offers classes for kids as young as three, all the way to adult. He teaches in Dickinson and Clear Lake. Email rttew@yahoo.com for questions and information or visit www.tewacademy.business.site.
