Square Dancing and Health - Hilltoppers Square Dance Club

A few years ago we found several articles written by medical professionals about the physical and mental benefits of Square Dancing.

Unfortunately most of the articles were several years old but they were written by members of the Mayo Clinic and similar organizations so they were still significant.

Now we are starting to see an increased interest in Health Square Dancing by both the Health Community and Dance Participants.

For Example:

Students at MIT now get College Phy Ed Credit for Square Dancing. Locally IORA Primary Care sent out flyers with the caption, “What kind of doctor’s office gives you a Chance to Dance”? A Denver Post article presented the results of a “National Institute of Health” funded CSU study, stated, Dancing with a little do si do may help fend off aging in the brain”

The results of the CSU study are very interesting. The study used academically recognized statistical techniques, and compared 11 physical activities:

Tennis, Golf, Swimming, Bicycling, Dancing, group exercise, Bowling, Walking , Climbing more than two flights of stairs, Housework, and Babysitting.

Dancing was the only physical activity associated with a lower risk of dementia.

If your doctor has advised you to start an aerobic exercise program, Square Dancing can be a fun part of it. Square Dancing enhances blood flow and gets your heart and lungs working. Just be sure to get your doctor’s permission if you have a medical condition.

Square Dancing may add ten years to your Life, a surprising new study shows.
Dr. Arron Blackburn states “It’s clear that square dancing is the perfect exercise. It combines all positive aspects of intense physical exercise with none of the negative elements.” Dr. Blackburn said square dancing is a low impact activity requiring constant movement and quick directional changes that help keep the body in shape.

The study was based on their physical examination which indicated that both female and male square dancers could expect to live well into their 80’s. Square dance movements raise heart rates like many good aerobic exercises should. All the quick changes of direction loosen and tone up the muscles–but not so severely as to cause injury.

In square dancing, when you’re not moving, you’re clapping hands and tapping your feet, which all contributes to long term fitness.

“You don’t see a lot of 55 year old basketball players, but that’s just the age when square dancers are hitting their peak”, Dr. Blackburn said.

Exercise For Physical & Mental, Plus Sociability Try Western Square Dancing. It's Friendship Set To Music

Are you interested in an activity that is drug and alcohol free and generally conducted in a smoke free environment. Where you can make many new friends and at the same time have fun, forget your troubles and get some exercise?

Modern Western Square Dancing may be just the activity you have been missing. According to a 1994 Mayo Clinic Health Letter “dancing can burn as many calories as walking, swimming or riding a bicycle. During a half-hour of dancing you can burn between 200 and 400 calories. One factor that determines how many calories you’ll expend is the distance you travel.

In, one study, researchers attached pedometers to square dancers and found that each person covered five miles in a single evening. Regular exercise can lead to a slower heart rate, lower blood pressure and improved cholesterol profile. Experts typically recommend 30 – 40 minutes of continuous activity three or four times a week.

Dancing may not provide all the conditioning you need, but it can help. The degree of cardiovascular conditioning depends on how vigorously you dance, how long you dance continuously, and how regularly you do it. The side to side movements of many dances strengthens your weight bearing bones (tibia, fibula and femur) and can help prevent or slow loss of bone mass (osteoporosis).

If you’re recovering from heart or knee surgery, movement may be part of your rehabilitation. Dancing is a positive alternative to aerobic dancing or jogging. And finally, Square Dancing contains a social component that solitary fitness endeavors don’t. It gives you an opportunity to develop strong social ties that contribute to self-esteem and a positive outlook.

Mental Requirements, Moves and Calls
This pastime is a perfect way to forget your troubles, because it is virtually impossible to think of anything else while you square dance. This is because of the mental requirements of this activity. I feel sure you agree that keeping your mind sharp is essential in today’s world. So what are these mental requirements?

Modern Western Square Dancing consists of layers, or levels of dance. Where we all start, is Basic & Mainstream. There are approximately 66 different movements at this level. I’ll try to define a movement later. Most dancers choose to dance at this level.

The next level is called Plus and consists of 29 additional moves. That puts us at about 100 movements, some having nuances. Some Square Dancers achieve and dance at this and the Mainstream level.

A move is a combination of arm, hand and or foot movement and is also known as a call. Foot movements are basically walking, preferably with a shuffling or sliding step. Each step normally takes one beat of music. A call can take anywhere from one beat to 32 beat, some times even more. The tough part requires that you execute any call without stopping to think how to do it.

Occasionally, you may have to “stack” several calls in your mind and remember the order in which to execute them. Of course you are not dancing alone, seven other people are in your square and all must remember what to do.

If you can walk you can probably learn to Square Dance. It does take time and practice however. Of course it’s all called Square Dancing and whether its a dance, a workshop or class, it provides some excellent mental and physical exercise.