10 Reasons Why Dancing Makes Your Life Infinitely Better

Two left feet? Rhythmically challenged? It doesn't matter if your best move is the Funky Chicken, here's 10 reasons, according to Swing Patrol, why dancers do it best!

1. Exercise without feeling like you're exercising

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Because, let's just admit it. There is nothing fun about going to the gym.

As an aerobic, cardio workout, dancing can reduce blood pressure and the risk of heart disease. Dancing can also improve your balance, stamina, flexibility and muscle strength.

2. It's great for your brain

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As a social activity dancing promotes emotional expression and creativity, improves your self-esteem and lowers your stress levels.

In studies, frequent dancing has been shown to offer protection against dementia in later life. Added to that, the neurochemicals released by exercising give you a sense of well-being and a want to do it again. Which might be why dancing is so addictive!

3. Meeting new people just got a zillion times easier

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From meeting other students at your first swing class, to having great dances with people you meet at a social, to catching up with old friends at international dance camps… the swing dance community is globe-spanning and super friendly!

Couch-surfing in almost every country just became a valid option.

4. It's like you, but now with added AWESOME.

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Whether it’s social dancing so well you feel like you're in a movie, nailing your first aerial, learning a routine, or entering competitions, swing dancing gives you the chance to push yourself and be proud of what you’ve achieved.

5. An excuse to visit extraordinary places

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Sure, there are dance camps all over the world (dancing on the Great Wall of China, anyone?), but even back at home, we’ve had the chance to dance in some incredible venues. In London, Swing Patrol have danced at the oldest functioning music hall in the world, the Olympics and even Buckingham Palace!

6. We need more physical contact. Science says so.

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And who are we to argue with science?

In his TEDtalk, Paul “Dr Love” Zak says that people with higher levels of oxytocin are happier and “have better relationships of all types”. Oxytocin plays a big role in bonding and is released through activities like hugs, massages and, you guessed it, dancing!

7. Swing Dancing is the most joyful dance in the world

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“Now, this is what happened to me and some of the other Lindy Hoppers coming up. We were always in the Savoy, day and night, and we danced and danced and we danced. And we didn’t have time to take drugs or drink whiskey and all of that stuff. Our high was dancing. “Say, you wanna get high?” “Yeah, man, let’s go up and listen to Chic Webb.” That’s how we got high.” – Frankie Manning

8. It's basically like doing physics (with more shimmying)

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From a recent Guardian article claiming “Great partner dancers may not know it but they are masters of space, time and Newton’s laws of motion” to the talk at TEDxWaterloo conveying the exponential speedup of a quantum computer through swing dancing, we know that science + Lindy Hop = awesome

9. He who is deft of foot is sharp of brain

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In a study, frequent dancing appeared to not only offer greater protection against dementia but it also increased cognitive acuity across all ages.

When you social dance you make very quick decisions as to what the possibilities are. “Making as many split-second decisions as possible is the key to maintaining our cognitive abilities”

10. Oh this? Yeah sure, it's vintage.

Elliott Binns / Via swingpatrol.co.uk

Prohibition, The Blitz, Gatsby's parties....whether it’s Charleston, Lindy Hop or any other African American jazz dance, swing dancing has a very real, very physical connection to a history few of us experienced first hand.