You are born to dance.
Have you ever been listening to music and automatically start tapping your feet or otherwise moving to the beat? “It’s an instinctive response,” says Costas Karageorghis, Ph.D., a music and sports researcher and coauthor of Inside Sport Psychology. That’s because you’re hardwired to move to the music, possibly because even primitive cultures used rhythmic movements to express themselves. Even birds and bees use dance to communicate.
The instinctual rhythm response starts in your brain, where music is syncing to the rhythm and you suddenly start to move; maybe even just a finger, but more likely, a toe. These same circuits are integrated with your brain’s communication and memory systems, which is why songs can trigger emotional reactions and why certain music can take you back to the fun times of your youth.
Get on the floor for your health; movement is good for you.
When researchers compared dancers with non-dancers, they found evidence that dancing may preserve both motor skills and memory. Dancing with others also leads to emotional and social bonds, key factors in both mental and physical health and, in line dancing, you don’t have to have a partner, so you’re never dependent on persuading someone else to dance with you.
The best dancing for novices is line dancing.
Move to the Music is an opportunity to get you started line dancing. It isn’t just country anymore. Modern classes are set to tunes like soul, R&B, blues, rock and hip-hop. The rhythm is generally easy to follow and the movements are repetitive, so you can catch on quickly. You will be dancing immediately. Basic line dance moves will be used to produce a moderate exercise routine. All of the routines taught will easily transfer to other line dance venues or learned quickly enough to enable dancing at typical SaddleBrooke social events.
Eight sessions, one and a half hours, $45, on Tuesdays, starting January 8, 2019 through February 26 at the SaddleBrooke One Fitness Center from 4:15-5:45 p.m. Soft-soled athletic shoes are required. Class size is limited to 15.
This class is taught by Bonnie Schoenfelder, a ten-year member of SaddleBrooke Line Dance Club and Instructor in Line Dance for Bloomington, Minnesota Parks and Recreation Department. Questions? Call or text 952-897-0291 or email [email protected].