Dance, Dance, Dance! It’s good for your body and your brain!

Rose and Henry Litke teach single and partner line dancing in Fairfield Harbour because they love it! Why do they love it? Rose explains that dancing is not only a good form of physical exercise but it is also good for your brain. Many folks find themselves addicted to line dancing because they love the music, the confidence that grows from learning a new dance and the friendships they form. Another huge bonus is the mental exercise that comes from memorizing the dance steps.

Dancing is a unique form of exercise because it provides the heart-healthy benefits of an aerobic exercise while also allowing you to engage in a social activity. A 21-year study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found dancing can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Physical activities like playing tennis or golf, swimming, bicycling, dancing and walking for exercise were studied. One of the surprises of the study was that almost none of the physical activities appeared to offer protection against dementia. There can be cardiovascular benefits, of course, but the focus of this study was the mind. There was one important exception: the only physical activity to offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing which lowered the risk by a dramatic 76 percent. Of all the physical activities, dancing involved the most mental effort. *

Line dancing classes in Fairfield Harbour are free to residents and taught by Rose and Henry along with a bevy of volunteers. Single line dancing is held on Monday afternoon while partner dancing is held on Friday night. Join the fun and give your brain a good work out!

This line dance is "Lonely Drum" by Aaron Goodvin’s, choreographed by Darren Mitchell. It is currently the #1 line dance in the world!

* Excerpt from The Retirement Resource Guide http://www.theretirementresourceguide.com/triangle/articles/health-a-beauty/45-fitness/1003-line-dancing-for-health